S.P.I.R.I.T [Mystery Hauntings] Is a website where you can come and talk about your paranormal experiences.Ask for help and advice, we our selves are kinda new at this. We like others take paranormal very seriously and exciting.

.Devil Inside. [Mature, Shiranui, continued]

.Tell me..What do they see. When they look at me?.Do they see my many personalities.ღ

'I don't know whether to be amused or furious that you kept this a secret from me. How amazing that a beautiful creature such as yourself is capable of feeling 'human' emotions. Really Ceres, what other mysterious charms have you hidden from me...dear wife?' Shiso's sarcastic voice echoed in the Tennyo's mind 'Legend always depicted your kind as dangerous creatures capable of murder...so why haven't you killed me? Perhaps, those terrible stories of angels shredding humans to bits were written to discourage human males from taking on immortal mates.' Why did she continue to remember Mikage's venomous words? Why had she allowed him to take partial control of her life? Had fear frozen Ceres' true nature or did love play an important role in the Tennyo's downfall? How could a divine angel from heaven entangle herself in a man's fiery touch? 'Tennyo's are murderous only when provoked.' The raven-haired female pressed both hands lightly against her temples, shaky fingers entwined themselves into glossy black strands as she remembered horrified expressions from the ancient past. Faces that reflected disdain and fear towards the emotionally distraught Tennyo appearing against the rainy panorama with two frightened children clinging to her blood-splattered tribal outfit. 'The leader vanished this morning from the fishing camp...we found his mangled body lying by the side of the road..next to a young girl covered in blood. Wait a minute...the man's name was Shiso Mikage and the little girl was called Miku. Ceres...is the only one responsible for killing her family! Quick..chase her out of the village!' The daughter of heaven once well recieved in a village with high religious beliefs, now found herself amid a chaotic atmosphere 'Those children of yours...they will bring nothing..but disgrace. Leave immediately...for half-Celestials aren't allowed anymore.' Was that the reason Ceres grew to hate humans? Did those words cause her remaining children to turn against the females with Celestial tendencies? "I have a heart." She stated bluntly, dropping one hand to press it against Aya's tailored-shirt. Sure enough the fast tempo of a human heart thudded against the maiden's hand causing shivers to run up her spinal cord. A heart. Aya's heart. 'Also my very own heart.' Despite having two distinct personalities sharing one body, they did share a common heart together. One that was filled with centuries of longing, destruction, blood shed. One heart that yearned to be at peace. Would Ceres ever find it in herself to move on? Why did she even keep reincarnating? Was it to find the Mana or was something else drawing her to seek out the truth? 'Maybe there is another reason why I haven't completely disappeared. Something is pushing me to stay on Earth...I don't know if it's a missing peice or simple guilt keeping me tied up.' Shoving away the nagging thoughts, golden-brown orbs flickered towards Momiji Sohma. She noted the bright smile etched across his innocent face, the same raidant smile Miku used to wear on her face. . "I'm merely accomplishing my mission...that is all." The Celestial Maiden answered after a short silence "Maybe I do 'care' or it could be Aya doing her bidding through me."

'Why can't you be optimistic for once?' The rational voice scolded with the sharpness of a newly minted knife 'They're trying to cheer you up and the only result coming out of this is you're blunt nature? Come on Ceres Mikage..forget the past. Forget the blood. Forget the tears. That man is dead...you are a free woman who needs to move on.' How easy would it be to just cast aside all the rancid memories. How liberating would life be if every single shard of sadness could be forgotten in the blink of an eye. 'I can not forget what has happened to me! I can't move on...because there is nothing waiting for me at the end of the tunnel.' Ceres scoffed mentally, driving away the bothersome voice with her own brand of poisonous words. She didn't know if the immature voice belonged to some hidden part of herself or if the words had sprung from Aya Mikage. A brief check on the blond-haired girl proved a fruitless effort, for she remained in the same position as before. Arms crossed together at the chest, knees drawn to her stomach and wavy golden-brown hair flattened around the edges like a halo. 'Compared to me...Aya is an angel.' The raven-haired Tennin observed, before turning her attention back to the zodiac rabbit. "That is true." Ceres closed honey-colored orbs thoughtfully, glossy red lips parting slightly to speak "Emotions are what sets us apart from inanimate objects..feelings also serve in..." Opening amber hues, the female stopped in mid-sentence unable to continue for her next words might disrupt Momiji's joyful nature. 'Feelings also serve in reminding us about past wounds that still bleed. We bleed because...we're alive.' Love. Hate. Sadness. Happiness. Anger. Different emotions stemming from different origions. Emotions that could either benefit an individual or serve like a burden for the soul. Feelings that could represent a weakness, just like they had for Ceres herself. Swallowing a forming lump in her throat, the young woman dismissed the rest of their conversation as Shigure stepped in to speak on Momiji's behalf. Leaning slightly forward, the Celestial Maiden pressed both hands against the wooden table. Cold tingles prickled her skin as the surface underneath felt rather rough compared to the softness of her palm, but Ceres refused to acknowledge how uncomfortable she felt over opening up. It was not in her nature to break down in front of strangers. Showing emotions became a thing of the past, especially after Shiso Mikage took advantage of her kind heart. "I know." The black-haired female answered curtly, offering no words in return for Shigure's conversation "I have experienced the downfall of kindness...it's not a new subject for me." A brief chuckle escaped from Ceres, though it sounded forced. All the kindess she had buried beneath the dirt seemed to shine out of nowhere, whether coming out in the form of guidance or a simple smile born from the heart. "What can else can I say in response to the curse?" She questioned softly, flickering amber eyes from one face to another "Perhaps..if I reincarnated into all my female descendants...then we too...would have someone to share our issues with. However, that isn't the case." The Tennyo muttered beneath her breath, breaking off the subject briefly to return her undivided attention towards Momiji.

The Mana. Her life line. Her reason for existence. How could a simple, but priceless orb of energy cause this much trouble? Why would anyone go through extreme lengths just to leave an angel enslaved on Earth? A thousand questions rose in the Tennin's mind with no logical answer to be found. Simple. The riddle had already been solved for the Celestial Maiden. Greed and obsession were the chains binding Ceres to the past. Shaking her head at the troubled thoughts, the young woman averted golden-brown hues to the ground in a gesture of defeat "I'm uncertain if I'll ever find my Mana again. I've searched all over Japan...even a careful search of the remote islands have yielded no results. The only one who knew the whereabouts of my Hagoromo was Mikage...and he would perfer to kill...then give up such a precious secret." She explained in a voice filled with bitterness and disdain for the man who had changed her into a heartless monster. 'I can still fly without my Hagoromo...but being away from it means..I can't live or return to heaven.' Tucking a hand beneath her chin, Ceres studied the wall decorations for a minute, while rolling Momiji's words around. His words sounded logical, even though the younger Sohma failed to realize her life hung by a string. "I'm sorry little one...but that is one question I'm unable to answer." She replied, wincing slightly at the prospect of having the Mana decay before even getting a chance to find it "For all the time spent in Heaven and Earth...I was never prepared to have something so important taken from me. Heh...that's why it's rare to have Tennyo's coming down to bathe. You could say...I was stupid for acting upon my curiosity." Shrugging her shoulders casually, the maiden looked away from the younger Sohma. "This is the first time...I'm able to come out in public like this. All those times being reborn only resulted in being 'killed'...so you could say I never had the chance to fully share my descendent's body..like I'm doing now with Aya . Yet, to tell you the truth...my strength will begin to wane soon. Could take days, months...even years...for me fade away." It was sad to sing her own funeral song with the Sohma Family, but life didn't last forever. At least for her it didn't, even though angels were immortal by nature. ' The sweet irony of my situation.' She thought to herself, breaking away from the negative cycle to gaze at Haru with a thoughtful expression. "You're in pain." Ceres observed, carefully observing his body language. Even with all the ice packs wrapped in terry towels, she knew it wouldn't be enough to numb the Sohma's pain. Maybe she could help? Climbing unsteadily to her feet, the young woman made her way towards the opposite end of the table. Feelings of dizziness rose to challenge the Tennin in mid-stride and she nearly toppled over from the sheer amount of exhaustion threatening to rise "I could attempt to relieve some of your symptoms..." The words escaped from her lips "Although...my Celestial powers appear to be low for an unknown reason." Dropping down to the floor, Ceres hunched over to catch her breath. "That's right....Aya hasn't slept much. Her exhaustion is affecting me." She grumbled, straightening her weary body into it's original position.

Tucking feet beneath her, the Celestial Maiden gazed skywards as Shigure's masculine voice drifted through sensitive ears. Aki and his injuries. How badly had he gotten hurt? What did the boy do to incite Haru Sohma's wrath? "I don't even know what to say on Aki's terms." Ceres admitted, lowering her eyes to stare intently at Shigure with hardened golden orbs. "He had it coming for him. No one told Aki to go poking his nose in affairs that don't involve him. There had to be a logical reason why Aya refused to tell him all that has happened." The maiden mumbled, calming herself down for the anger pricked up and down her spinal cord. 'Why? Why have the Mikage's fallen apart?' Her family. Her own flesh and blood tearing at each other's throat. The children she and Mikage founded. Why? Why would a family unite turn completely against one another? Raising a stiff hand, the young woman couldn't help demonstrating the sheer displeasure of knowing her own descendants caused towards others. "There is nothing else I can do for Aki or his actions. All I can offer are my sincerest apologizes." She whispered softly "Even though saying I'm sorry will not mend what had already been broken." How had it come to this? Did it start when Aya Mikage started forming a strong friendship with Yuki Sohma? No. The problem hadn't started with the Sohma's. Aki's issues stemmed from a long line of learned behaviors and as Shigure stated his mother had a lot of influence over his actions. "Yes...Aki sports a learned behavior unfortunately , but that doesn't excuse him from what he has done. The young man is old enough to know what is right or wrong. No one dictates his behaviors except himself...though as you stated...ignorance is his biggest flaw." Painted red lips thinned into a small scowl once the words escaped from her lips. 'Getting rid of the source would suffice, but can I taint my hands again in Mikage blood? Can I bare the consequences of dirtying Aya's hands with her mother's life?' To get rid of the source. Cleanse the family of all traces of evil, but that would only turn Ceres into a murderer again. 'I don't want to relive the past again.' Shaking her head savagely, the raven-haired female threw a brief glance outside the window. Shafts of evening sunlight streamed through the front panel, painting errie patterns across the floor. Judging from the sun's position she could guess that dusk was fast approaching. "Yuki has been in this position before?" The young woman questioned, scouring Shigure's face for anymore hidden information. "That's why...he hasn't been responding...except for random nods here and there." Ceres muttered, as a new understanding dawned in her. 'Akito...' The mere mention of the leader's name flared a dying ember inside the tenshi and she began to rise rather quickly from the floor until Haru's hand gripped her arm. Alarm shimmered in the maiden's eye for a minute, until she realized it was only the white-haired Sohma whispering in her ear. Nodding briefly, the raven-haired female gave the ox some reassuring words "I will tell her that tonight." She whispered back to Haru, before raising herself from the ground. Smoothing wrinkles from the blue skirt, Ceres bowed down to express gratitude "Thank you for having me over." She said, letting amber colored hues flicker over the individual's sitting around the table. 'Time to head home..but for some reason I feel unease relinquishing control to Aya...while Aki is in that state.' Swallowing hard, the female parted lips to speak "Judge me as crazy..but a body guard for Aya would be nice." The Tennyo stated, dropping a brief hint towards her fear of Aki Mikage's unpredictable attitude "Anyway..I must hurry. Goodnight everyone." Waving her hand briefly at the males, the Celestial Maiden hurried away from the house and towards the main street in hopes of not transforming back in public.

'Aya in regards to your concern over Yuki...hatred won't be the ending result...just anguish.' The Tennin whispered mentally to Aya's sleeping form. Lips drawn into a concerned line, the heavenly maiden couldn't help shuddering at Haru's words. "True love is beautiful...but it comes at a heavy price. I don't know if you're aware of that...nothing comes easy unless you work for it." Stopping herself in mid-sentence, Ceres took the time to gaze around at her surroundings. With the Sohma Estate melting into the background, the young woman observed the nearly empty sidewalks. Street lamps flickered to life with warm yellow-white bulbs casting small spots of light across the concrete path. A few couples could be seen taking their mid-evening stroll beneath the shadow of impending dusk. 'I never thought a city could look so beautiful near evening.' She observed mentally, tilting her head skywards to check the position of the sun waning towards the West. Already the large ball of fire seemed to sink lower with each passing minute, but the maiden knew how deceptive the sun could be. Glossy red lips curled into a slender smile, before Ceres relinquished control to Aya. "There is a devil...at home.." She managed to slip Aya a broken warning, until heavy silence took over. Golden-brown hues switched automatically to gray-blue as the blond-haired female struggled to understand what happened. 'W..what? How did I end up here?' The young woman questioned, scratching her head in confusion. Rummaging back to previous events, Aya only remembered vague details of her visit with Yuki and Ceres' presence threatening to come out. At the notion of the Tennyo being allowed to roam free, Aya felt the color drain from her face. What if Ceres had killed? What happened to Yuki? Did she harm him in anyway? 'My body belongs to me right? My emotions are my own...' Why all the doubts? Why all the fears? After dealing with the Celestial Maiden in person did Aya still harbor distrust of her? Distrust towards her own grandmother? Shaking her head, the young woman pushed away the bothersome thoughts with a sharp scowl. Now wasn't the time to deal with new concerns. But what scared Aya were the last words that had escaped Ceres. Devil at home? Did she refer to Aki? How could her brother be a devil? 'Aki is my own sibling...how could he harm me?' Shrugging of the warning, Aya started her trek towards the Mikage household with a quiet Celestial Maiden looming near the fringe of imagination. She reached the two-story house in less then ten minutes and as the blond-haired female appeared near the cracked stairs..her blue eyes made out the faint glow of the television reflected behind beige curtains. Aki appeared to be home. At what time he'd arrived was a complete mystery. Hopefully, the young man managed to cook himself something to eat, while she was away. "Oyi...he can't cook himself a decent dinner without me." Aya giggled softly, reaching into her coat pocket to pull out a spare master key. Stabbing the copper-colored key into the lock, the young woman opened the door with an enthusiastic greeting "I'm home!" She called out, attempting to sound cheerful..despite the sadness threatening to take over. Behind her the television set shut off and the figure sprawled against the couch sprang to life. What Aya saw nearly caused a scream to escape. Bleary violet-blue hues glared from underneath a mantle of golden-brown hair. "Where have you been? I know you left school quite early..Aya." The young man stated, his voice laced with poisoned anger. 'There...is a devil..at home..' Ceres' warning came back to haunt her. The Celestial Maiden had been right all along, but what caused Aki to act in such an aggressive manner. 'A complete stranger..' Aya swallowed in sudden fright, her facial features contorted in fear for the once friendly face was now an unrecognizable mass of bruises and dried gore. "Aki...there are a few things...I should tell you." The blond-haired girl stated, looking around the room as if seeking help from an unknown source.

"Of course you have a heart!" Momiji laughed a bit, though he saw conflict returning to her eyes. "If you didn't you'd be like..." He paused looking around before reaching over and grabbing a pillow. "This pillow... pretty and useful...even good to cry on, but useless otherwise." He laughed slightly as his metaphor before putting it back. She didn't see it, but Momiji did, he saw it in everyone. No matter how cruel a person was or wasn't there was still a heart there, a heart that dictated their actions. Good or bad, Happy or sad... it was emotions that dictated actions. The heart that motivated the mind, what they felt and how they dealt with it was what varied between people, but if you stripped all that away, they all had the same heart and felt the same things, or were capable of it. He tilted his head, "Call if what you want, Ceres." He winked at her, "We both know why you're here." She could hide it and deny it, he could feel her moving away from him again. He didn't know why she was suddenly closing herself again, but regardless she was here for a reason. It was more than just to talk to Haru. Though that may of been the original intentions, after all, she probably hadn't known about the fight in such short time. But at some point when she found out. And at some point, she had wanted to check on him. She had grown concerned, she was interested to see in he was ok... And she hadn't seen Aki yet... Momiji thought to himself

As he spoke he saw hardness and coldness. The attitude that her family passed on for generations. She was drifting away, stuck in memories and regret. After a second he scooted over to Ceres, reaching up and pushing fallen hair out of her face and putting one of his small hands on her chest, where her heart was beating steadily. He looked up into her eyes, tilting his head. "Feelings are what make us living beings. They are what make us laugh, smile and celebrate..." He told her, pulling his hand away slowly to set it into his lap, turning his eyes downwards on his hands laying in his lap. "And you can say it, it's what makes us hurt, what causes us pain and regret." He told her, taking a slow breath. "Ceres, its ok to hurt, to look at people you care about and know your emotions can never reach them!" He exclaimed to her on the corner of his eye he was he cousin watching him. Shigure knew as well as he did where this was going, and he made no move to stop his cousin. "My momma... my mom rejected me when i was born..." He said softly, the image of his mother popping up in front of his eyes. "It's not uncommon..." He explained, glancing back up at her. "When we're born our mothers will either become over protective or, in some cases, reject us. She rejected me with everything, her soul, her mind and her body..." He took a slow breath, standing up and walking over to the door, looking outside as he spoke.

"She became very sick because of me...she stopped eating, stopped everything...stopped living. I knew it must be hard for her, to never get to hold your baby boy but i was selfish, i wanted her to keep fighting...keep trying..." He hesitated, memories building up like a wave, each one growing stronger. He knew they would over take him if he wasn't careful, he didn't want to look anyone in the eye. You're such a good boy...don't you want you're momma to get better?...I'll love you enough for the other of us... His fathers voice rang in his head. "But she didn't so Hatori...Hatori erased her memories, he can do that you know..." He told her, aware she probably didn't know. "He erased all her memories of me...she forgot about me...and she got better." He sighed as he rocked back and forth on his heals. "I was the one who made her sick and once she forgot...she got better. She had a baby girl, my sister Momo really is cute, you should meet her sometimes." He told her with a small laugh, the thought of his sister raising his spirits slightly.

"My point it..." He said slowly as he turned back to them, moving back to sit by Shigure, leaning across the table to look at her. "We all have longings that bring us pain...but we have to keep going...YOU have to keep going! Things will work out! People care about you...Aya cares about you though she might hide it..." He told her with a small laugh, each each laugh he seemed to be pulling himself out of his sadness that had built up during his story, pushing his sorrow farther and farther away from his thoughts, inch by inch. "Just don't give up.... keep trying!" He told her, thinking once again of his mother. He'd wanted her to keep trying, to keep fighting, but she had run out of the strength to fight. He glanced from her to Shigure, "Kindness has a downfall, but if you can bring one smile to someone's life. A little bit of joy to someone who's suffering...i think it's worth it." He told them, Shigure laughing a bit and patting Momiji on the head, "And that's what we love about you." He said, lightening the mood after Momiji's confession. After all, if there was one thing Shigure was good at it was lightening the mood. He was almost as good at it as Ayame.

Momiji listened to her carefully, tilting his head to watching her as she spoke, listening carefully to all her words, her doubt. After years of disappointment, she'd lost hope. "Well, with an attitude like that you won't find it." Shigure cut in, his voice playful, yet his meaning serious as he stood up, waving his hands as he watched her. He knew his game, it was the same one he played with Yuki and Kyo, he knew how to provoke, sometimes it got him into trouble, but nothing serious enough to make him stop. "He's right." Momiji chimed in, "You'd be surprised what you can do...It's like...the little bear." He said with a small smile, "It was a story i read this one time about a little bear who's mom went out one day and didn't come back... the bear waited and waited but she didn't come back... so he went to find her. However the little bear got tired, they lived in the mountains you see... and as he kept going he got sadder and sadder and kept going slower and slower until he was going so slow the turtle were passing him. But then the little bear remembered something his mom had told him 'When ever you don't know what to do, have faith and push on.' And that's what the little bear did he kept going and going until he stumbled into a clearing. His mom was there! She had just gotten tired and laid down for a long rest... of course the little bear had forgotten it was winter and his momma had fallen into hibernation before she could get back...so the little bair snuggled close to his mom and they slept the rest of the winter!" He finished as he looked back at with a smile as he finished. "So have faith and push on...you'll find it." He assured her. He wasn't sure how but he had confidence, it was like he just knew...she would find it.

As she moved Shigure saw her weakness perhaps before she realized it's extent. "Don't push yourself!" Momiji told the angel as Shigure suddenly appeared at her side, one hand on her arm and other on her back to steady her, helping her to the floor. "You really don't have to push yourself," Shigure told her with a shrug. "It may look bad but they're in martial arts, Kyo's gone flying through doors and jumped out of windows...if you want to help no one is going to stop you, but don't push yourself...wait until you...until the both of you are re-energized." Shigure told her, Haru hardly replaying as he watched everyone, making as little movement as possible, passively. Blood made her wince, pain made her want to fix it. Perhaps it was proof she had more of a heart than any of them had, they went through life ignoring it, as if it didn't exist. It was only because there was so much that they didn't think twice about it, it was the vicious cycle that they were stuck in. Momiji shook his head, "There's nothing you have to say for Aki!" Momiji told her, though he didn't meet her eyes as he spoke. "It's not you're fault...he didn't mean what he said...i'm sure that he'll see reason soon." Momiji told her, his eyes hopeful. Was this a hidden knowledge or a fragile hope? It was hard to tell, Aki's words had effected him as much as Haru, just differently. Haru laughed a bit, "You have nothing to apologize for, nothing he sad could of come from you or your host in any way." He assured her as he thought of his cruel words. No, nothing that had done had deserved it, There seems to be a lot of that going around... He thought to himself.

Haru nodded slowly to avoid pain. "Yes...he used to live in the main house with Akito all the time until he asked to move in with 'gure... during that time there was a point he shut down as he seems to of done now...he stopped talking, stopped responding...though he always did have a good heart..." Haru recalled, Yuki had lived at the main house when he had first met him. Of course he hadn't known the full story at the point, what Yuki must of been going through, but he was always kind, from the first time he met him to the last time he'd gotten to see his beloved cousin. "Seems Hatori is right...he's trapped in a place unaffected by time...a place that's existed since he was young boy..." Haru muttered as he watched Ceres stand up, excusing herself. At her mention of Aya going to talk to Aki a startled expression crossed over all of their faces, though it was hard to tell if Shigure was serious of doing it for effect. Though Aki had few skills when it came to fighting, any level could get bloody if the opponents were evenly matched, especially with the rage Aki seemed to get from no where. They watched her leave, Haru glancing at Shigure as the three of them found themselves alone again. Haru looked Momiji who was leaning on the table from his laying position on the floor, then to Shigure who was standing, seeming to debate something. "Do you think..." Momiji started after a second, breaking a silence, Shigure nodding in agreement, all of them on the same page, thinking about Ceres last comment. "I'll call her..." Shigure told them as he walked over to the door. "Her Shigure..." Haru said, stopping him at the doorway, as Shigure glanced at the ox form over his shoulder, waiting for him to continue. "Don't let her go all out...we don't want to kill him." He chuckled bitterly, saying it for Aya's sake, he couldn't care less.

Kagura skipped down the sidewalk, glancing around her at all the happy couples, earning more than a few curious glances from passerbys at her attitude. Turning her eyes back down she played with the hemp in her hands, in the process on making a friendship bracelet. She had started it about an forty five ago when she had been interrupted but a phone call by Shigure. "I need to ask you a favor, I'm sure you've heard of the current situation. Today Haru was riled up pretty good by Aya's brother Aki. I guess he has a bad rage that could harm Aya pretty bad. She's headed home now, could you go and just...play the defense for Aya...and JUST THE DEFENSE. We don't need to deal with a funeral...please...for Yuki's sake..." And so here she was. Sighing she shoved the half finished bracelet into her bag, pulling out a white sheet of paper. She looked at the tall apartment building, comparing the two addresses. Once satisfied she put the paper back, throwing her bag back over her shoulders as she smiled and waved at a passerby before entering the building. "Ok...let's see..." She said, looking around as she tried to figure out which where to go. "Ah...here we are!" She said as she found a couple signs. "Miss do you need..." A passing male asked, stopping as Kagura turned to look at her, shaking her head. "Nope, thanks." She said with a smile before skipping off in a direction until she found the room, She tilted her head, she could hear sounds inside. She guessed this was the right room. She didn't bother to knock as she opened the door, interrupting whatever the people inside were having. She poked her head in, spotting a boy and girl about Yuki's age. "Oh!" She giggled. "Sorry, May i come in?" She asked, though hardly waiting for a response as she slid in, Shigures request was enough permission for her. "Please don't mind me." She told them as she walked over to look at a couple paintings on the wall, studying them absently as if expecting them to go on as if she weren't there.

.Tell me..What do they see. When they look at me?.Do they see my many personalities.ღ

{"Umm..big brother can I ask you something?" An innocent question escaped from the little girl's mouth with gray-blue orbs turned skywards. "Do you think I'm normal? Do you think our sibling bond will withstand the trials of life?" Aya whispered, lowering her gaze to stare at the astonished boy dressed in dirty blue jeans and a mud-splattered t-shirt. Locks of golden-blond hair fell over one indigo eye, as a small smile threatened to appear on Aki's normally serious facial expression. "Hmm.." He pretended to ponder his sister's words in his mind by appearing remotely disinterested in her silly attempts at a decent conversation. "Aki!" His sibling's shrill cry brought him back to the present, lips parted slightly in a crooked smile he answered Aya's questions at last. "You think to much." The blond-haired youth stated, extending out a hand to ruffle his sister's wavy blond-brown hair "Come on Aya...we're just kids now. Why in the world are you worried over being a normal girl?" Aki countered with his own interrogation "Not many kids have the luck to spend the day at the beach like we do. Being normal is just a title...look at the rocks over there." Moving his hand away from Aya's silky hair, Aki pointed an index finger at the jagged peaks extending from beneath perturbed waters "Rocks have different formations. Every individual piece of organic matter differs from their neighbor. Imagine...if you were the same as everyone else...where would the fun lie?" He explained. Aya's sky blue hues moved from the rock formations to Aki's calm facial expression. Serious, yet kind-natured. Sometimes to mature for his own good, could being an older brother bring about an immense burden upon the poor youth? "You're absolutely right! Being unique is what sets us apart from everyone else. Not many siblings are able to share such close bonds together." She replied with a gentle smile that turned serious for a mere moment "Promise me...that you'll never change that kind attitude of yours." Aya stated, reaching out for Aki's folded hands. Indigo orbs widened in surprise, but Aki smiled sincerely "Big brother...will never change...that I promise you." He clasped his sister's small hand in his own, sealing their promise in a language only fraternal twins could understand. }

Aki's sacred promise. The promise he made to never change. Where had all his sincere words gone too? Had he been lying to her? Sapphire hues scoured the blond-haired youth for traces of his old humanity, but all she saw were unrecognizable emotions. 'Who are you? What happened to the real Aki?' Aya mused, instinctively taking one step backwards to distance herself from the unfamiliar stranger. "I...I wasn't feeling well at school." She managed to answer. Dropping both hands to the side, the young woman locked shimmering blue orbs against Aki's bleary indigo ones. The landscape of Aki's bruised facial features seemed to contort into extreme rage for he screamed suddenly "Don't give me fucking lies! I saw you leave the school yard right after talking with Hatsuharu! Heh...you don't look the least bit sick." He sneered, doubling his left hand into a fist. The young man turned his back momentarily to Aya, fighting back the torrent of rational words. 'Stop being an idiot! Why are you treating your sister like trash?' Why? Why would he turn his rage upon his own flesh and blood? Did it have to do with distrust? Did it pertain to today's beating? Had Aki's adrenaline not left him yet? "Why!? Why are you making up lies!? What the hell is so important...that I'm kept in the dark!" He shrieked in a demanding voice, as his hand struck out against the decorative base. Clenched fingers shoved over Mitsuki's favorite pot with such intensity that the fragile porcelain barely stood a chance against Aki's unwavering fury. "Lies!? Me making up lies!?" The blond-haired female scolded "Has anger clouded your rational mind? In fact...I did make up a lie...but it was to protect you." She hissed venomously "Sometimes...the truth can be more..then what you bargained for. However, I will tell you our family secret. Trust me...honesty can sometimes bring heart ache." As the words left Aya's mouth, the aggressive adolescent glared daggers at his younger sister.

"Family secret?" Aki scoffed in disbelief "How dare you lecture me on honesty...when you've been the one lying to me the entire time? Well, at least you admitted to being a little liar.." He broke in mid-sentence, violet-blue hues narrowing at the mention of a family secret. What was Aya talking about? Why would the family bother hiding a secret that could affect everyone? Bringing a trembling hand to his forehead, the blond-haired youth gripped at his tresses in frustration. Impossible. Absolutely impossible, the Mikage's would never leave him in the dark. Or would they? Was it possible his own relatives had been lying to him the entire time? No. That wasn't true. Aya was wrong. She only wanted to deflect fault upon innocent family members, rather then face Aki with the truth. "ENOUGH!" He shouted with force to make thin glass windows tremble. "Stop lying to me...whelp." Words. Such harsh words escaped from his parted lips and Aya felt ice daggers dig into her heart. 'Chaos. Nothing..but an atmosphere of chaos.' The Celestial Maiden stirred restless inside her host, opening golden-brown hues in question. What on earth was happening outside? Why did her descendant present signs of distress? Glossy lips thinned in concentration, as the Tennyo extended senses towards the outside. Waves of aggressive energy slammed into Ceres just like dolphin sonar hitting fish in muddled waters. The room outside was the literal definition of hell. Lances of anger, sadness, distrust and hate mixed in to produce a panorama perfect for complete destruction. Yet, why would Aki throw away his sister's feelings? "Let me stop this nonsense Aya. Whether he is your brother and my descendant...Aki is behaving like a devil." The raven-haired woman spoke telepathically to the female, hoping to shield Aya from more harmful words. 'Stop the nonsense?' Ceres' deadly voice registered in her mind 'No! I refuse to hand over control of my body...you'll end up killing Aki for sure!" The blond-haired female cried out mentally, wrapping both arms around herself in an attempt to hold back the enraged angel. Blood. Would blood be shed today? Would Ceres be able to take control? She couldn't allow the Celestial Maiden to win at a time like this, especially when Aki's own life hung by a string. "Don't you think Aki is the one capable of killing you?" The black-haired female questioned "He is blind to what is right or wrong. The boy's mind is unreachable at this very moment. Release me now!" The heavenly maiden demanded, while Aya struggled inwardly to keep her altered-ego from popping out.

"What's wrong? Has karma come back to bite you?" A mocking question forced the female to turn attention back upon the fuming teenager. "I'm really getting sick of Aki's boisterous attitude. I command you to release me at once...hurry! Release..the real you!" Ceres pushed on, her voice becoming laced with desperation. This was one of those times, when the Tennin desired to be in another body. A body that belonged to no one other then herself. 'Let me handle this.' Aya snapped mentally, averting blue-grey orbs to the shattered peices of pottery glistening innocently against the wooden floor boards. Hands clenched into tight fists, the young woman finally raised glittering azure orbs to Aki's twisted face. The face once filled with warmth. The masculine voice that had once provided security and reassurance, now threatened to tear them apart. "Nothing is wrong with me." She answered at last, unable to continue speaking for the rest of her words died with the familar squeak of the front door swinging wide open. Was it the wind blowing aside the unlocked door? Could it be their mother coming back after a long absence? No one knew, but the strange young woman entering through the front entrance did not match Mitsuki's description. "Ah! Come right in." Aya greeted out of instinct, her voice lined with an unde-tone of relief. Somehow this strange visitor was both familiar and unrecognizable at the same time. Who could have sent her here? Did she get lost? Did the young woman confuse the Mikage House for her own? 'I don't recall ever seeing her in school. Who could she be?' She pondered for a brief second, while Aki locked his icy stare upon Kagura. Was she a friend of Aya's? The blond-haired male considered pushing her out the front door, but his moody attitude returned back to present matters. Such insignificant distractions wouldn't save his beloved Aya Mikage from punishment. "Consider her an ally." Ceres spoke up briefly, shattering her host's concentration. An ally? Why would she need an ally? Shrugging off the bothersome assumptions, the young woman replied at last "Make yourself at home." Lips curved downwards in a friendly smile, though it was easy to see how much effort it took Aya to be normal in front of Kagura. The tension only seemed to get worse as Aki spun around to face his sister "I don't know who your friend is..but that doesn't matter now. Tell me about the damn family secret." He snarled, crossing both arms over his chest. 'Maybe I shouldn't tell him!' Feelings of regret ran up and down Aya's spinal cord, although her body seemed to act of it's own accord.

"Alright." The blond-haired female nodded, parting dry lips to speak in a cracked voice "Did you know that only the female's in the Mikage line are cursed? Did you ever except to have the blood of a Tennyo flowing through your veins." She questioned, seeing the light of a skeptical disbeliever in Aki's violet-blue eyes. Ignoring the tormenting emotions inside, Aya kept speaking "No one ever told you that grandpa kills his own grand-daughters? He does it by testing them for signs of Celestial powers..and if a female shows even the slightest reaction to one of the articles belonging to the Tennyo, she is immediately sentenced to death and killed with a bullet to the head. That day...on our birthday..I was supposed to die...because I'm the reincarnation of Ceres." Hot tears began to spill down her cheeks as crystalline droplets watered the floor below. "I'm a living and breathing Tennyo who houses the ancient spirit inside of me...even now she is listening to our argument. Did mother ever tell you what really happened to father? She must have invented the news of father...going on a business trip. Well...I'm sorry to be the one who shatters those dreams...but dad is dead. He died trying to defend me against the family. There for...I'm not who you think I am. I'm not all human." Breaking off the words to capture a breath of fresh air, the young woman looked up to see Aki's reaction to the news. He stood in the middle of the room completely frozen in disbelief, faint tears trailed down his cheeks and fingernails could be seen digging into his palm. 'Your sister isn't normal.' Hatsuharu's words rose from the depths, clouding Aki in a fresh blanket of denial. Aya being the reincarnation of a tennyo? How could that be? Angels belonged in heaven, not on earth. Absurd. Completely absurd. "Do you think I'd believe that story! How would a family kill their own females? Where is the proof that Ceres even exists!? And what the hell do you mean father died!" He screamed fiercely, bright blue-purple hues sparked with an undying hatred. Everything Aya said was a lie. It couldn't be true! Or could it? Swallowing a lump in his throat, the youth looked into his sister's sincere stare. Something inside of him snapped and without warning, he lunged towards Aya with a raised hand. 'Aya! Quickly turn into me! Aki is going to strike out!' Ceres called in alarm, although the blond-haired female made no move to evade Aki's volatile nature. She was completely frozen in shock, unable to move or even respond to the impending danger looming only yards ahead. 'He doesn't believe me...even though I spoke the truth.' Delicate facial features turned a doughy shade of white as Aya closed both eyes automatically 'I'm to scared to summon...Ceres out...yet I can not let Aki hit me.' Lips thinned into wince, while waiting to have Aki's wrath brought upon her.

Kagura listened silently, it seems she was a little late, but not before anything had began. She hummed to herself as she continued looking at the paintings, tilting her head at strange angles as if oblivious to what was going on around her. Still, her attention was turned strongly on what was going on behind her, the tension. "Oh! Aya didn't ask me to come in fact i hardly know her, i'd be honored to be her friend." She said, not bothering to turn around at Aki's comment, as if his voices wasn't laced with menace and threats. In the present situation the confusion of that comment was lost as she moved to the far side of the couch and sat down in a large chair, sitting down and humming to herself, seeming to, as Aya had told her, 'make herself at home.' She hummed to herself, pulling out her friendship bracelet and continuing to work on it as if she didn't have a care in the world, unlike the two twins just a couple feet away who's lives seemed to be tearing apart. "Family secrets, family secrets..." She sang under her breath at Aki's words as she continued focusing on the bracelet. Unless you were watching her closely, which the other two int he room did not, you wouldn't notice the far off expression in her eyes, as if she really wasn't entirely here but thinking to herself as Aya spilled her heart out. She knew what Aya felt, and she was sure that the teenage girl believes that she was doing the right thing. She believed that the truth would set her free, and that was perhaps the saddest part of it. While it was a lovely idea, when it came to their position, it didn't work that way. The truth was a mistake to tell to people like Aki, people who refused to believe. She had seen it, they all wanted to believe that if they tell someone they will believe it and understand with no hard feelings. However, believing it like Aya did only led to more pain in the end.

It's coming... Kagura thought to herself as she stopped humming as Aki's yells grew louder, her fingers moved faster and faster along the bracelet as she listened to him. So this was the Aki that had pushed a white Haru to go black, sparked such fury in Haru to feel the urge to kill. She could see how, listening to him it made her breathing speed up, she saw what Haru saw. Her mind went back to Shigure, she wasn't here to fight. She forced herself to remain calm, Defense... She thought to herself as she looked up at the last moment. For the first time she seemed to look at the two in the room, she seemed to become a part of the situation. In the blink of an eye, faster than Aki could bring his hands down, she dropped her bracelet onto the floor stood up, jumped over the couch and found herself standing in between the two, and yet off to the side, as if forming a shallow triangle with the three of them. She reached her hand out, her fingers closing around firmly around Aki's wrist, stopping his entire motion with her hand alone, his fist frozen inches from Aya's face. She stared at neither Aya nor Aki, but her hand around Aki's wrist. "I'm sorry, i can't allow you to hurt her, you see i promised my cousin that i'd stop a funeral from occurring." She told him, letting go of his hand, pushing it to the side though so he couldn't continue his intentions, not that it would do much without the momentum. "Unfortunately families will do that Aki," She told him, addressing him by his name to make a point that she knew who he was, even if he didn't know her. "They kill each other and bring each other pain. You believe only what you see..." She sighed shaking her head. "But I'm not here to play that role, I'm not here to make you believe. I'm not here to play Haru's role." She said, glancing at his sideways, making it clear she knew about what happened earlier. "I'm here to stop you from doing somthing you'll regret... Ok?" She asked, as she said the last work smiling at him as if nothing were wrong.

Yuki found himself slipping between nightmares and the nightmare of his reality. He was eyes caught in the black, or dreaming of dark places. In his dreams he could see people, people so close to him he could almost touch them. They were happy and smiling, but every time he reached out, the people vanished, only to be replaced by cold faces who stared at him critically, only to fade into the blackness. Even though the faces were cold he shouted out, he wanted them to stay. Anything so he wasn't alone anymore, but whenever he opened his mouth he couldn't make a sound. He opened his mouth only to feel a familiar feeling build in the pits of his stomach, fear. In a way, it was a way of protecting himself. A way of making sure he wasn't ignored. If he spoke out, what would he do? What would he do if no one listened? If the people he thoughts cared about him disregarded his voice...he didn't want to feel that again. So he didn't talk, he didn't talk so his voice couldn't be turned away like the buzzing of a fly. It didn't matter if he was in pain, there was no use talking if he couldn't be heard. Yuki looked around, realizing he had slipped out of his dream and into the spot in the back of his mind, huddled up by himself, all alone. Suddenly laughter seemed to taunt him as he looked up, only to slip back into a dream of happy children around him. How old was he? He wanted to go play...and yet, when he reached out...it started all over again. At some point he felt a hand on his shoulder, shrinking away as he suddenly heard his name? Was it his imagination? Was it another illusion that would vanish when he reached for it? "yuki...Yuki...YUKI!" The last work a bit louder as Yuki gasped, waking up from the viciously to find himself looking at Hatori.

Yuki gasped, startled as surprised at his awakening, his breath...he lost his breath...why coudln't he breath? Suddenly he felt something raised to his lips, instinctively his body closing around it as his breathing seemed to come back to him. "Sorry if i startled you," Hatori told him as he set the medicine back down. "I have to change your wounds again i need to move you..." He told him, Yuki nod quite understanding, he only knew that his body hurt, and that Hatori was helping him. He nodded, unable to meet Hatori's eyes as he glanced away, feeling one of Hatori's arms under his back the other under his legs as he turned Yuki and sat him up. The movement hurt as his head seemed to spin at the movement. Hatori seemed to sense it as he held a hand on his shoulder until it passed. As Hatori began messing with something around his stomach he looked down at bandages strapped around his stomach and back. There were stains of blood that had leaked through the bandages but...wasn't it less than before? He couldn't seem to remember, that was so long ago...time had been lost to him. He moved and jerked as Hatori worked, watching his hands, both of them seemingly content with the silence until Hatori spoke, "You know, at some point it would be good to get you out of this room, maybe outside..." Hatori spoke, not looking up as Yuki as he cleaned the wounds, Yuki looking around. Somewhere else? Where was somewhere else? He felt comfortable in here, comfortable meant safe. He wasn't sure he wanted to leave, leaving meant going to places that brought pain...meant Akito...at the thought og the name his body froze. Hatori stopped, looking up at Yuki and setting a hand on his shoulder. "Ok...you're not ready..." He told him, at the words Yuki seeming to relax at the idea of not having to leave.

Hatori sighed, as he began to re-bandage up his wounds. The only thing that was holding him back was himself, but it was better not to rush him. Besides , Hatori wasn't one to talk about moving on, he was stuck, frozen in one place. "Just so you know...Aya was here, she's very worried about you." Hatori told him, glancing up at Yuki, who was now watching Hatori, if if not sure what to say. Aya...hadn't he seen her in the room with Akito? No...that hadn't been Aya, that had been someone else...the other woman. Aya... brown hair and soft eyes. She was probably in pain right now, he remembered Kana, she was in pain when Hatori had gotten hurt, Hatori had erased her memories to get rid of the pain. Momiji's mom had her memory erased too to get rid of the pain. What would happen if his memory disappeared, would he disappear? The him right now would, they'd have to erase everything...what was everything? He couldn't even remember. He didn't remember time passing as Hatori finished, tying the knot, "If you can you should try to stay awake, don't get to much sleep." Hatori told Yuki gently. Usually sleep was a good things for healing patients, the body was more focused on healing and there was less movement. Still, then the wounds went mentally as well sleep wasn't always the best option. Ideally they wanted to find a balance of the two, though the lat thing Yuki was worried about was balance. "How about we get you something to eat?" Hatori asked Yuki, as he walked over to the door, knocking softly and whispering to someone outside the door. He wasn't even sure if Yuki would eat anything in his state but he had to eat something otherwise he would die before he could heal.

.Tell me..What do they see. When they look at me?.Do they see my many personalities.ღ

Confused thoughts afflicted Aki Mikage with an array of alien emotions never before felt. He found himself plunging through a field planted with anger, disbelief and sorrow. Why did the young man express such fury towards Aya? Why did he have the sudden urge to wrap both hands around his sister's throat? Did he want to kill her? Did he want to intimidate his own flesh and blood into obeying every whim? Could it be over-protection or sheer envy? 'Are you willing to strike out against a relative? Are you willing to throw away sixteen beautiful years down the drain? Don't you recall those fun times at the beach? You and Aya would always head to the same spot year after year. If I do recall...you two had a secret cove in Okinawa that your parent's never knew about. Heh...look at yourself now..about to hit your own sister for telling the truth.' Truth? What truth? A pile of twisted accusations woven into an intricate fairytale? Sad excuses to justify Aya's lying behavior? 'Reincarnations, Tennyo's and family secrets...sound more like sad story plots directors use to make cheap movies. I bet she watched a similar story and decided to add a few details to entangle me.' Or could the blond-haired female be telling the honest? Swallowing a lump that had been forming in his throat, Aki found himself unable to control the sudden urge to punch Aya across the face. He wanted to throw her to the floor, scream at her until his throat turned red raw from enraged cries. He wanted to knock some sense into his sibling's over-active imagination, but at the same time the male didn't want to hurt her. 'Don't do it! For heaven's sake get a hold of yourself!' His rational mind cried out in a last ditch effort to maintain it's owner from committing an act he would later come to regret. However, Mikage Aki's mind blocked out every word of reason. He had allowed his ignorant emotions to gain a foot-hold in his heart and now the male lashed out at the frozen female whose face seemed to go pale with each passing minute. Scarlet-rimmed hues locked with Aya's wide blue ones, the look etched across her face was enough to drive a dagger into his heart. Were those earlier words about the Mikage secret true? Or did she want to fool him with an exaggerated joke? "This is absurd." He sneered aggressively "My perfectly normal sister being the reincarnation of an angel? I suppose your next tale will consist of being able to turn into a damn mermaid with the ability to swim underwater." The young man mocked, not knowing that his words were treading dangerously close to private territory. "Hmm...a Tennyo? I see no reason for an immortal angel to descend down to earth just to bear half-Celestial children. That is technically impossible." Aki hissed, smiling lips going from teasing to twisted in the blink of an eye.

Moving right shoulder backwards, the blond-haired male raised his hand in mid-air, trembling fingers tightened themselves into a balled fist. Gathering energy from bruised muscles, the furious adolescent aimed for Aya's fragile cheek. 'She isn't even attempting to evade my hits! Why? Why isn't Aya reacting!?' His questions were lost to the sudden feel of anguish traveling up and down his wrist. A vague warmth registered against Aki's sensitive skin along with extreme pain for his punch had been stopped by the strange girl "What the?!" The young man hissed in question, bleary indigo hues moved sideways to see Kagura blocking holding his balled-up fist in mid-air, all the while Aya Mikage continued to stand in one spot as if stunned by what had almost occurred. "Don't interfer! This is strictly family problems that Aya and I need to solve on our own." He grunted, attempting to move backwards until the zodiac female mentioned his name. "H..how do you know my name?" Aki questioned, feeling of rage temporarily forgotten. 'How did this strange female get our names? Our home direction? Hmm...a cousin sent her?' He tried placing two and two together, but felt his concentration shatter at the mention of Haru Sohma. Facial features drained of color as memories from his earlier fight with the white-hair Sohma resurfaced to haunt him. Faint images of a level-headed Haru transforming into a dangerous opponent, the sudden feel of the male's foot crushing a few ribs and the last vision of Momiji jumping in last minute to save him from being slain. 'Momiji...' Hot tears begun to stream down Aki's face, before realization hit him straight in the face "I don't know what to believe..." The adolescent whispered, blue-violet hues averting to the floor. What had he done to deserve this? "T..that can't be true. How can families destroy one another?" Unbelievable. Absolutely unbelievable, yet if four people had already confirmed the truth....then had to be real. "No..." Aki rasped, closing azure hues against the impending headache. 'Foolish assumptions coming from a skeptical boy who doesn't understand curses or paranormal events. I did for a fact descend from Heaven to Earth. I did mate with a normal man and I left a lineage behind. My blood run's through Aya's veins as well as your's Aki...but I suppose you don't want to know that?' The Celestial Maiden muttered beneath her breath 'Quickly transform into me! There is no need to suffer because of one man's ignorant nature!' Ceres called out, trying to spur her stunned host into action.

How could honesty bring on such a calamity? Was it her fault for not telling Aki sooner? Would his reaction have been different? 'If I had opened my mouth earlier to tell him our family secret...he still would've of judged me as insane.' Either way her brother would have turned his nose at her words. She felt utterly foolish for spilling out her heart to a boy who had seemingly changed over night. What happened to the gentle Aki Mikage? What happened to the soft-spoken brother, that would ask a million questions concerning Aya's welfare? How could a person change in one day? Sixteen years of living together. Sixteen long years sharing the same roof, eating the same food, diverging secrets only he would understand. Sixteen years of running to him for comfort. Where were those warm memories now? Had every year been one more lie covered up in sweet agony? ' This boy has the same name...same appearance...same clothing..except...I don't recognize him.' She stayed frozen in place, unable to move or even breath. Fear became Aya's greatest enemy clouding her mind with irrational images of Aki striking his fist into her face. The agony from his impact against her delicate face would surely dislocate a few bones and the quick swing would undoubtedly send Aya slamming into the opposite wall. Why couldn't she move? Why did her scream freeze inside? Was she hoping for an invisible miracle to appear out of no where? 'AYA!' The Tennyo's desperate voice rose in pitch as Aki's fist traveled through the air at high speed 'Hurry!' Ceres screamed again, until the boy's curled hand stopped mere inches from her face. It took several seconds for the young woman to register what had just occurred. Her brother's fist had been blocked in mid-air, but by who? Had he repented last minute? Glazed sapphire hues flickered slowly to life, pupils quickly focusing to the side where Kagura had jumped in last minute. They were formed in shallow triangle, with Aki positioned South and Aya taking up the Northern flank while the Sohma female stood on the sideline with one hand wrapped around the boy's wrist. "Nani?" The blond-haired female questioned softly, unable to get over the shock of having a complete stranger blocking off Aki's vengeful wrath "Aki...you could have killed me from the impact! Why are you acting this way?!" She screamed suddenly, her loud voice capturing attention from Aki. "Aren't you even the least bit ashamed?" The female asked, curling both hands into tense fists. "Aya...I..." He attempted to communicate with his devastated sister, though an instant later Aya seemed to vanish in a flood of reddish-white light. "I'm sick of this." A woman's cold voice pierced through the brilliant aura and as the light disappeared Ceres stood in the spot where her host had been standing seconds earlier.

"W..Who are you? Where did Aya disappear to?!" Aki yelled, firing a volley of rhetorical questions to the enraged Tennin. "My name is Tennyo Ceres....and Aya is within me" Ceres responded, running a slender hand through pitch black hair "You really are a naive little boy aren't you? I can't help wondering how a short-sighted person such as yourself can continue living in a world of black and white. Aki...you are blind to reason..even if the answers are lying underneath your very nose." She stated bluntly, raising an accusing index finger at the stunned youth "Whether you chose to heed my words or ignore them...that is up to you. However....curses are all too real for some people." The Celestial Maiden stated, shimmering orbs gazing off to the side where Kagura stood "Hmm...your demanding explanations from Aya..while your the one keeping some serious secrets from her. She doesn't deserve a brother who will strike out for attempting to keep her own flesh and blood safe from harm. Because frankly...Aki Mikage...you give my family a bad reputation." Ceres spat , averting golden-brown orbs to the ground below. The urge to send her great grandson to oblivion became one giant thorn embedded within a fragile heart "Your extremely lucky to be alive cause I wouldn't hesitate to dissolve you into a pile of ashes." The raven-haired female snarled, raised her head to give Aki a deadly look "Only...Aya's presence keeps me from acting out of pure instinct." Her harsh words stabbed straight into the young man. Wide indigo hues changed from aggressive to fearful in the blink of an eye "Y...you would kill me? Your own grandson?" The skeptical adolescent questioned, dislodging himself from Kagura's vice-like grip with a violent tug. Extreme agony traveled up Aki's forearm, as he grabbed at his bruised wrist. 'Another bruise...to add to the countless other bruises Haru inflicted on me. Now...I'm being threatened by my own grandmother?' No. She couldn't kill him. He was Aki Mikage. Son to Mituski and Ronny. Brother to Aya and a straight-lined descendant from Ceres herself, but the vicious look never left the Tennin's eyes. Her warnings were real. They weren't empty threats consisting of meaningless motives, for the next minute one of the vases shattered into a million pieces. Craning his head to the floor below, Aki saw the broken ceramic pot disappearing in a flash of reddish-white Celestial fire.

"I don't kill for the fun of it." She answered "Those who have attempted to harm me..have had a similar fate to that pot." Dropping one hand to her side, the young woman flickered orbs in several directions. Aki moved towards the stair case, trying to evade a potential encounter with the powerful woman whose aura only seemed to flare at his presence. Tears running down his face, the boy vanished into his room without a word of acknowledgment to Ceres or Kagura. Celestial powers dying down a bit, the raven-haired female turned momentarily to the Sohma Boar with a brief nod of gratitude "Thank you....and tell your cousin that I thank him as well." This place held to many memories. To many tears shed. She needed to seek tranquility from the impending rage attempting to steal a way into her heart. Painted lips thinned into a curt line, as Ceres walked towards the front door. Extending a trembling hand forward, the Heavenly Maiden pulled the door open to reveal skies etched in multicolored hues. 'Such a pretty sky.' Obsidian hair changed into brownish-blond hair, grayish-blue hues now gazed up at the heavens with yearning. "Such an embarrassing mess." Aya whispered, casting a glance over one shoulder to see several vases smashed to pieces "They were mom's favorite decorations in the entire house." She lamented sadly, raising a hand to wave at Kagura "Gomen...I wish we would've of met under different circumstances. Aki's behavior is in no way acceptable..." The blond-haired female apologized, granting the female a gentle smile "Anyway...I must be going. Say Hi to everyone for me." Bowing down in polite dismissal, Aya turned towards the path stored in mind. 'Wouldn't it be wiser to just deal with your emotions first...before going to see Yuki?' Her rational spoke out 'After all...look at what happened between you and Aki. That argument was intense.' Pretty intense alright. Much worse then she had imagined. "I don't know what I was thinking back there." She responded to the voice "If Kagura hadn't stopped Aki's fist...he could have caused some heavy damage." Bringing one hand to the spot where Aki had been about to hit, Aya rubbed trembling fingers against the soft skin going sleek with tears. Inches. Just inches from the fragile hinge connecting her temporal jaw to the eye socket positioned above. What would have happened if he had succeeded? Why hadn't Ceres taken over at the first sight of danger?

'You followed your heart's instincts without realizing the consequences. Aya....you were considerate enough to tell Aki about the family secret...but also foolish to speak with a boy in such a state of tension. Let's pay Yuki Sohma a visit...I'm sure he'll be happy to see you.' The Tennin stated, giving her host some motivation to run down the side walk at high speed. 'I can't help wondering...if we're both being foolish.' Ceres stated mentally, while Aya Mikage stopped at a nearby food stand. "We might be. The danger at the Sohma House is ever present...however...we chose to ignore it." The blond-haired female replied, focusing blue-gray hues on the menu. "What will you be ordering today miss?" The cashier asked, reaching out to grab pen and paper. "Can I get canned coffee, three rice cakes and a side of Dango?" Aya muttered, fumbling through skirt pockets for yen. "Of course...your order will be ready soon." The clerk smiled kindly at the young female, as she walked away to wait for her lunch. 'Did you order that much food for Yuki?' The Celestial Maiden questioned in astonishment 'Or is it for you?' Faint chuckles escaped from glossy pink lips "Silly...that food is for me. I haven't had anything to eat all day long...plus the coffee will help me stay awake." She explained, flickering up orbs to see the cook waving at her with food in hand. Trotting back towards the stand, the young woman handed the clerk his money, then took the small bag towards the nearest park bench. "Mmm...the dessert smells delicious." Aya whispered, taking a few bites out of her rice cakes and Dango. 'Your only giving yourself a brief moment of respite. How about we visit Yuki in the morning?' The raven-haired female tried negotiating with her grand-daughter, only to feel rejection at the idea. Shaking her head savagely, the blond-haired female swallowed the last of the coffee "I can't keep delaying myself...Ceres..please understand that I want to help him. I want to fix the problems...I've caused." She admitted, lowering blue hues to the glistening grass below. Sadness welled in her heart, but the young woman pushed away the troublesome feelings. Standing up from the bench, Aya trudged over to the disposal unit located a few yards from the sidewalk. Dumping the contents of her lunch into the yawning maw, she turned to gaze skyward with wistful eyes. Evening stars began to appear as faint white pin-pricks in the sky, twinkling with comforting coldness.

' I envy the stars for their freedom to shine without constraints.' Aya Mikage thought silently to herself. Yet, stars did have specific mechanics tying them down. No gas meant no way to keep their inner cores hot enough to sustain life. A star without food would die, just like a human without proper nourishment. Pulling in a shallow breath, the blond-haired female began to walk down the designated path Ceres had proposed earlier. 'I'm barely half way to the main house...and already my nerves are acting up.' Pausing in mid-stride, Aya began counting to ten until her anxious emotions settled down enough to promote clear thinking. But, who wouldn't get nervous of Akito Sohma? They sported a massively negative aura with enough force to send even Ceres into a fit of rage. While, the leader could cause fear in some individuals and rage in the Tennin...all Aya could feel was pity. Why? Why would she pity a human who mistreated their own family members? 'We have arrived.' The Tenshi announced, tugging inwardly to gain her attention 'Don't ask how you got here so fast....with that distracted nature of yours...I had to take over temporarily.' Ceres stated, before falling quiet. Golden-brown orbs fell shut as sleep threatened to over take her 'I will be silent for the time being...however..I'll still be alert.' She muttered telepathically, letting her descendant know that Aya wasn't completely abandoned. "Thank you." Glossy pink lips curled downwards in a grateful smile. Turning around to face the lush bushes, the blond-haired female began to crawl through tangled branches and dried leaves. Insects chirped faintly beneath the waning sunlight, while she crawled into the front yard with different leaves sticking out of her wavy-hair. 'Ugh..someone needs to trim the bushes.' Reaching up with both hands, the sixteen-year old adolescent brushed aside the foliage. Swallowing harshly, she didn't stay standing in one place for long, instead Aya raced silently towards a back entrance. With the Celestial Maiden stretching senses outwards, the young woman could not detect movement nor any perturbing auras coming from the main house. It seemed the area was safe to explore. 'It's now or never.' Gathering courage, the blond-haired girl walked through the entrance and across the destruction Ceres had caused days ago. Lips thinned into a small line, she finally reached the door leading into the medical ward. A trembling hand pulled backwards on the icy-cold knob and without the slightest hesitation Aya walked right in. 'I sense someone here.' The Tennyo spoke up, but by the time she looked up it was to late to hide. 'Why didn't you tell me sooner!?' She yelled at the sleeping spirit 'Anyway...it's time to improvise.' Pushing back troubling emotions, the young woman spoke softly "Nice...to see you again..." Blue orbs traveled from the doctor to the silver-haired Sohma resting in the same spot. He appeared to be in the same condition with no improvement, yet Yuki appeared to be wide awake. Falling silent, the blond-haired female tried speaking mentally to the zodiac rat 'Yuki...I came to see you.' She said gently, wondering if he would respond or if he was still stuck in sightless nightmares.

Kagura listened to Aya as she screamed at her brother. She took a slow breath, watching her feet as she let events play out. as Aki spoke she looked up at Aki though her bangs for a second as she held his hand tight, her hand shaking slightly. Though whether her hand was shaking from effort or anger, it was impossible to tell. "And I see no reason for a brother to be hitting his twin sister." She replied simply as his argument of 'reason.' Her voice were neither mad nor relaxed, there was tension yet strangely emotionless, it was strange and dangerous. "I agree it's you're problem." She responded in the same level tone as she turned to look at him. Kagura's eyes were serious, and filled with every sorrow felt by every cursed member of the zodiac. A never ending circle that they could never end or escape from. The pain of watching people getting hurt, of being hurt. "Some problems are within a family, but i maintain what i said, i'm not going to let there be a funeral for her." She said evenly,"Or you" She added almost an after thoughts as she examined his wounds, "Or do you think giving her a few bruises will really help anything?" She asked slightly scarcastic. She had known Haru had gone all out but judging by the extent of the wounds Haru had been more serious than she's thought, he could of been on his way to a funeral by now. Aya would of lived believing that her brother was the same person she knew at least... She commented to herself, knowing it was a cruel twist of fate that by living he had killed the spark of faith Aya had had in her brother. Had she ever had faith in Akito? She frowned a bit to herself, trying to recall the first time she had gone to meet Akito. She had been young, told that she was going to meet god. The one who was in head of her and her cousin. What does he look like? Does he have magical powers then? Can he take away my curse? Yes, she had been young, far too young at that. She closed her eyes for a second, her grip around Aki's wrist tightening without realizing it.

Violence. That's what was in Aki's heart and mind at the moment. Why was she so concerned? It wasn't like she wasn't used to it, not like it was a new concept. It reminded her of her family to a tee. She could see it, unfortunately Aki held Akito's place at the moment, Aya the scapegoat, the one caught. Aki was blinded by emotion and using violence to escape, to push it onto someone else. Maybe it was because she was helpless to help herself or her cousin that she was getting such strong emotions. She wanted to stop it, so she did the next best thing, she could DO something to stop Aki, as opposed to Akito. Kagura opened her eyes, what was she doing? She wasn't here to get herself into an emotional mess. "Geez Aki, you're really good at stirring the emotions of the Sohma's aren't you? It's got to be that attitude, so similar to someone else we all know." She said softly in an ironic laugh in response to his confused questions. "The name is Kagura Sohma, cousin to Kyo, Yuki, Haru and Momiji Sohma." She told him as she watched his reactions, putting more emphasize on each passing name. "I'm sure you're tired of us by now, but our families seem to be intertwined for some reason at the moment so the best thing you can do it not piss us off." She told him, chuckling softly. Who was she kidding? They were all dangerous with all the emotions they had running around, if Aki wasn't careful he would become a zodiac target., especially with that attitude. Kagura's eyes hardened slightly at the mention of her younger cousins name. 'Yes, Momiji who is worried to death about his cousin who GAVE him the bruises that he didn't deserve. Its strange how a a kind heart is the one that pays for other ignorance." She emphasized the word as she watched his face. He didn't know what to believe? It was a matter of what HE could let himself believe. "Well maybe it's time to take a second look at what you believe, Aki." She responded to him. "Because clearly what you believe isn't working. You don't want to believe families can tear themselves apart? Don't think they can destroy themselves? Look at where you're hand is. Look at where you're sister is and tell me it's not possible." She said lowly.

She could feel the change right to her side as Aya seemed to change, glancing over at the angel curiously despite herself. So this was the angel that had saved Yuki? Whom Akito had stood before and laughed before Yuki had stopped her in a last attempt. What would of happened if she had killed their god? they would never know, not that she felt it would of made much difference. What ever doubts Aki had felt a second ago were gone, she could tell. As she did she realized how tight her grip was, loosening her grip on his wrist right before he pulled it away from her. She sighed, closing her eyes and looking away. She could hear the venom in Ceres's words, the threats... it was all familiar. Suddenly Aki had been demoted, stuck in their position, but Kagura's sympathy was still withheld. The angel had taken Akito's spot to Aki, and in a way Ceres reminded Kagura of Akito. She held a place of power, she was cold, she felt threatened and would follow through if it came down to it. There was one difference that separated the two though, and that was control. Ceres had something holding her back, Akito never held back, except by those around him who forced him back, he held none of his own. If Ceres didn't have that control would they be the same? Kagura shivered slightly at the thought, closing her eyes to try to clear her hear. What they spoke at this point really wasn't her business. After all Aki had said it, it was a 'family matter,' and she didn't qualify. Still, had hadn't thought it would get this deep. She walked back over to the chair she had been sitting in, bending down and picking up the bracelet she had been working on, turning it in her hand until she heard Aki run away, Kagura watching him go and turning to look at Ceres as she spoke to her. Kagura nodded, "I'll be sure to tell him you send you're gratitude." She said with a small smile, a bit like Momiji in her ability to rebound as she smiled at the woman whom she had compared to the feared Akito seconds ago. "I was glad to help, a bit easier than i expected to be honest." She shrugged as she followed Ceres who transformed to Aya moments later.

Kagura shrugged, "Shigure's house has been worse." She said casually as if it were nothing, a little humorously, though only a small smile was on her face. Of course the main house was known to look something like this at times, but that wasn't nearly as light at the other option she had chosen. She watched as Aya ran away, sighing as she found herself alone in the house. She glanced around, tightening the grip around the bracelet in her hands. Shigure really hadn't asked anything else from her so she supposed she could go. She bit her lip, looking from the door and back into the darkened house. She walked back to where the action had taken place seconds ago. It had all gone by so fast, but that's the way somethings went, and she knew it. Even so, this couldn't of lasted more than a few moments, yet it would take time to heal what had happened in this room. She walked over to a shelf she had been over by before, looking at paintings. This time she picked up a photograph sitting on a desk below it. The photograph was old, it seemed to be of Aya and Aki when they were younger. She supposed it was one thing living with it, another thing to have it thrown at you,taking away the freedom you didn't have when you grew up with it. No, that's not true...even you had that once didn't you? A voiced asked in her head as she shook it from her head, She could see Aki's face still in her mind. He'd had so much pain in his face, and she hadn't been quite kind in her delivery. He had been hurt, hurt by nothing but his own actions which had come back around and backfired in his face. She turned to look at the stairway he had disappeared, seeming to debate an idea in her mind before walking over to the stairs. She hesitated at the bottom as her hand touched the rail. She knew the emotions his words had caused, but she had seen more than anger in his face. Maybe she could save this family yet, save someone else form their inevitable fate.

Kagura took a slow breath before continuing up the stairs looking around as she got to the top. The house was quiet and still, as if settling from the storm. Still, if you listened you could hear shuffling from one of the rooms down the hall. She bit her lip walking over as she looked curiously at the door for a second before knocking softly. Still, she didn't wait for any more a response as she had the previous time as she opened the door, letting herself in. It didn't take long for her eyes to find Aki, keeping hold of his eyes as she entered, closing the door with a soft click behind her. "You know, you really are pathetic, just walking away from a battle you started." She laughed coolly, having a sudden image of one of Yuki and Kyo's fights in her mind but pushing it away. "You never learn do you? You just keep making yourself look like a fool." She told him, knowing that if she kept going she would get to him, his him in the right spot. She watched his face, getting ready to go in for the kill. "Was Haru to discrete for you? Did Momiji's words mean nothing? Or did you not realize you were only one of four that walked away because you and your ignorance? Ignorance that brought about only a weak anger" She taunted him, her eyes were on him the whole time, and betrayed no emotions. For someone who was so innocent sometimes she had a perfect way of hiding her emotions, she thanked it to her martial arts training. Her tone once again didn't lean one way or the other, but in these circumstances seemed to hint in one direction. The bracelet that she had been taking along was still clenched in her fists as she took an aggressive pose as if daring her to do something about her words, dare him to prove her was better than she said, to prove his anger was justified, to show what he had left.

Yuki looked away as Hatori help out a forkful of food. What it was Yuki hardly knew, all he knew what that he didn't want it. He stomach was turning already, his whole body felt numb, and his stomach seemed to cramp up with worry that strad over his whole body. "Yuki...YUKI." Hatori said firmly , saying the second one louder when the first one didn't seem to reach the boy. Even than, the silver haired youth seemed to stare at the doctor blankly. Hatori sighed, reaching up and putting a hand on Yuki's forehead, not surprised to find he had a slight fever as well. Despite his attempts to prevent it it seemed some infections had still managed to enter Yuki's wounds. While it would of been worse a fever certianly didn't help anything. "Yuki, you have to eat something, you knows you can't last without food." Hatori told Yuki, Hatori having a sudden sense of deja vu to so many years ago when he had been persuading Yuki to eat just as he was now, only he had been much longer then. It only continued to heighten Hatori's concern that had had sunk so far back into his past he may never recover, never move forward. Still, his words seemed to have some effect as Yuki looked down at the food on his stomach, picking up the fork and taking a small bite of the meat on the plate. He seemed to take forever to shew it before pushing the plate away. Hatori sighed, taking the plate and fork off of Yuki's lap and setting it on the bed stand. Yuki hardly noticed, his eyes distant as he stared absently at the wall across from him. How many times had he been in this room? This had been his room, how ironic that had had left the main house to return? Had he ever really left? It didn't feel like it, he sank back into his pillow, he was so tired, had he just gotten up? It felt like he had been awake for hours. He was tired of people hurrying past the room, avoiding him. The look people gave him killed him and made it worse, he wanted to fall asleep, sink back into that place and never come back. He knew what was in the black, no hurtful words, no pain, or people who caused pain. Yet the black was lonely...but he was used to it, after all he was just a tool.

Hatori leaned back in his seat, watching Yuki, and caught in deep thoughts when he heard the door open. He looked up at the doorway, someone already knowing who it was. No one else came up here, no one dared get involved in the families business. Coming in here would only involved them in it until they couldn't get out. Pity was a horrible feeling, perhaps that was the worst part of Kyo's position. And now Yuki was a source of pity, on top of everything else. Hatori nodded at Aya, his earlier thoughts coming back to him. He watched Yuki's reaction as Aya's voice caused him to open his eyes, conflicting emotions seeming to run behind his eyes before going blank. Had the side that wanted to forget won? Or had the emotions just shut him down? It was hard to tell, but before it had happened there had been emotions there, possibly words that he had wanted to say, and hadn't. Yuki looked away, Hatori standing up and glancing at Aya. "I changed his bandaged, and managed to get him to eat a bite which was more than yesterday." He told her, taking a slow breath. Akito had been getting on edge lately, her head seemed to be clearing slightly from the event which didn't bode well for Aya and the Tennyo inside of her. "I'll be back later, but you should know..." He seemed to stop for a second. Was he hesitating? or did he just really no know what to say? Had he forgotten? "Last time this happened to Yuki, though he had friends he ended up healing on his own, it's the nature of the curse." He told them, even he didn't know exactly where his words were going but he had a bad feeling, a feeling around his gifts that wounded as much at they healed. With that Hatori left the room, onto his next order of business because heaven knew he was never short of things to do, while back in the room Yuki seemed to of heard Hatori's reminder. Had it really been to Aya or had it been to Yuki who seemed to digest nothing in his state? His eyes were wide as if caught in a memory, from very long again, still fresh in his mind.

.Tell me..What do they see. When they look at me?.Do they see my many personalities.ღ

{"Have you seen Aki anywhere? I've searched for him all over the estate and he fails to appear." Mitsuki questioned worriedly, trotting over to the old man sitting in his lawn chair. Shimmering blue-grey hues closed for a minute as grand-father Mikage rummaged through days events. "You'll find him playing beneath the old pine tree out back. Besides...Aki and Aya seem to be completely inseparable...I've never seen blood relatives who could spend time together without fighting." The old man chuckled softly, leaning back into the lawn chair "By the way...it's time to give Aki a talk about his responsibilities." He stated matter-of-factly, ashen-colored hues flickering towards his adult son "He is seven years old already...hence a Mikage child should know their place in the family." Wrinkled lips curled downwards in a serene smile. "Right." The woman replied, lowering hazel eyes to study the floor below "Unlike Aki who carries the weight of perfection on his shoulders...Aya was lucky to be born ten minutes later. Had she been born first...the roles would have been shifted." She concluded, looking up briefly to see grand-father Mikage nodding his head in agreement. "Heh..Ronny never wanted responsibility. I remember getting into pointless fights over homework or for the simple matter of Ron refusing to wash dishes." He laughed merrily at the last part "My deceased wife would dis-authorize me...and you can see why Aya is running all over the place. Ronny doesn't have the attitude to be a father...unlike you Mitsuki." Stopping himself in mid-sentence, the old man dismissed his daughter-in-law to her duties. "Ah..yes." She bowed down in respect, before walking off to find Aki sitting beneath the pine tree. Hands clasped around bent knees, the blond-haired boy appeared to be watching his younger sister running around the front lawn chasing black-tail butterflies underneath the sun. "Aki..come here." Mitsuki called out to him, extending a hand forward to grip one of Aki's exposed shoulders "This is sudden...but I need you to become a man." She explained harshly, fully expecting her little boy to leave his childhood completely in the past "Forget these childish games...forget about frolicking in the fields. Be a big brother for your sister Aya...she will need a lot of protection from now on." The woman muttered, reaching out to ruffle glossy blond-brown hair. "Yes..mom." He answered uncertainly, indigo hues expressing a degree of confusion. How could a seven-year old boy grow into an adult over-night? Several years later...those words would come to haunt him.}

Ironic. How ironic to find himself in the opposite situation as opposed to what his mother requested of him. Responsible brother entrusted with the duties of guiding Aya Mikage down the right path. Duties that involved setting a prime example for his beloved twin. 'Example? What example am I setting here? These last days...I've spent looking for pointless fights.' He thought mentally to himself, slapping a trembling hand to his forehead. "Nice. I've gone from responsible older brother to a savage animal attempting to control my sister with violent displays. What next? Am I spiraling into a vicious pattern of unpredictable behavior?" Slamming the door behind him, the blond-haired male leaned against the wood frame. Coldness seeped through his battered body, filling him with familiar emotions from earlier. Bleary indigo hues closed against the feeling, but all he saw were golden hues peering at him from the darkness. Golden-brown eyes shimmered murderously, glossy red lips thinned into an angry line, facial features devoid of warmth. That woman residing within Aya Mikage. That woman called 'Ceres'. The one who threatened him with instant death. The raven-haired female whose lips seemed incapable of evening forming a smile. Why? Why had she chosen Aya as a vessel? He didn't understand how an enraged Tennyo could give birth to a family of half-celestials nor could Aki understand why his own family kept the secret hidden. "Why? All this time living beneath one roof...and never imagining that my sister could be an angel." The adolescent snarled softly "How did it come to this?" Exhausted eyelids fluttered open to reveal Ceres' appearance as a mere illusion projected by his own guilty mind. 'Did Ceres follow me up here?' He couldn't help darting nervous peeks around his room, although nothing seemed amiss. His personal belongings remained in a perfect state of preservation, along with his I-pod and laptop computer. "Good. She didn't follow me up here...but that still doesn't save me from her death threats." Aki whispered to himself, moving away from his spot by the door. Wobbly legs carried him towards the oak desk where several standing photographs greeted him. Still faces peered from behind the glass, memories frozen in time. Memories of a past where he and Aya were innocent to the world around them. Extending one trembling hand, he grabbed hold of one particular picture where two chestnut-colored horses stood side by side. Two similar figures posed together against a shady background, hands holding onto bridles, lips pulled back in joyful smiles. "Hmm...this picture must be when Aya and I traveled down to California for the Santa Anita race." Aki said, placing the picture back in it's proper place. "When mother discovered Aya riding around the muddy track, she nearly had a heart attack."

Red-rimmed indigo hues swept across the other photographs, as his mind considered the possibility of tossing each individual picture into the trash bin. 'Why do you want to toss out precious family memories?' Aki's rational mind dictated "Each event should be treasured and kept close to the heart. Don't you understand what has just occurred? Your sibling bond...snapped by a moment of rage. Did you ever pause to think about Aya's feelings? Her fate in you never waned until now.' A part of him wanted to hide in the closet until life returned to normal, but events didn't always coincide. His ignorance. His irrational attitude in the face of truth, propelled him to damage blood ties. "Took me long enough to discover how much damage...I've caused to my own sister." The blond-haired male spoke to himself, flashing back to Kagura's earlier words. Vivid images of an enraged adolescent holding a clenched hand in mid-air came to mind, while a frightened young woman coward in the corner. Bringing his offending hand towards the front, Aki glanced away from the desk top filled with taunting photos. Taunting images of what had once been and now could never be. Images of a happy childhood flushed away by an unreasonable response. Why? He asked himself why? How did it come to this? How could one insignificant emotion spark such chaos? "Nice job...I've broken years of trust in a single day." Not only had Aki broken his sibling's faith within him, he had also broken the Sohma's trust . 'Haru...Yuki..Momiji...those three will never forgive me for what I've done.' But did they make mistakes as well? Did they make choices, that later became regrets? 'Everyone makes mistakes in their life time...I made errors with terrible consequences.' Groaning inwardly, the blond-haired male gripped trouseled tresses in trembling fingers. Massaging his tense scalp, Aki swallowed harshly for the truth of his situation left him with a bitter sensation. Destroyed family. Destroyed life. Destroyed ties of loyalty. There was no one else to blame except himself for the destruction caused by adrenaline. Stumbling blindly towards the bed, the youth debated taking a long nap to relieve himself of the pain, though luck conspired against him. Soft knocks started Aki out of his dazed trance, questioning blue-violet hues darted towards the opening door. Was it Aya? 'Aya usually calls out to me..before entering. This can't be my sister...so..' Mental assumptions died with the sudden appearance of Kagura Sohma invading his room. "What do you want now?" He asked bitterly, positioning both arms into a crossed posture "You do realize this is my room...and I don't appreciate having my personal space invaded." Aki snarled, hoping his rudeness would drive her away.

What did she want? Had Ceres sent Kagura to gloat in his face? Did she feel the need to provoke him further? Did she want him to apologize to Aya Mikage on hands and knees? 'Can't a guy catch a break around here?' The young man swung around to face Kagura head on. Shining indigo orbs glanced up to see the brown-haired female entering his room without permission. Seriously, who in their right mind would enter a private house without asking? 'Wasn't her business of blocking my attack and leaving? Or did she come to beat me...like Haru Sohma did?' Pulling in a ragged breath, Aki's lips thinned into a line of displeasure. He wanted to be left alone to wallow in his own guilt. He wanted to scream into the pillows without fear of being heard. Why? Because, the young man had a feeling Aya had left the house shortly after Aki retreated upstairs. Where could she have gone at this hour? Wasn't his sister aware of the consequences? He shouldn't worry over his sibling's safety, after all Ceres wouldn't allow harm to befall her host. Swallowing harshly, the upset teenager focused on the scene right in front of him. "I see." He merely said "Did you come back just to insult me?" With the question leaving cracked lips, the youth stiffened as Kagura's cool laughter resonated through the small bed room. Feelings of humiliation and anger turned Aki's stomach into a raging pool of bitter bile threatening to rise. Fingers clenching tightly into white-knuckled fists, he spat out "What else did you want me to do!? Did you want me to knock Aya out or something!?" The blond-haired youth snapped, attempting to calm himself. Taunts. Sweet taunts escaped from the woman's lips..clouding his mind with aggressive thoughts. 'She's trying to reel you in Aki! She is taunting you into losing your temper! Don't fall for those tricks!' Yes, she was making fun of him. Making fun of his anger issues. Making fun of him for leaving a battle scene with tail tucked in-between his legs. Gritting his teeth, the young man tried listening to the voice of reason. 'I'd be a fool to charge into battle in this condition..but I can't allow anyone to insult me.' Any attempts he made at calming frayed nerves only served in fueling an increasing fire inside Aki Mikage. "I know your trying to taunt me into making a stupid mistake." He pointed out "You aren't in my body or my mind...so tell me Kagura..what makes you certain Haru's or Momiji's words meant nothing?" The male questioned stubbornly, body already protesting against the flowing adrenaline. 'Can't she just leave!' Facial features furrowing into an expression of disgust, he lunged for Kagura and the copper door knob nestled behind her. "LEAVE ME ALONE!" Aki shrieked with enough force to make several picture frames shake in place. Hands thrown instinctively in front of his prone chest, the male attempted to shove the zodiac female from his room.

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Why did this particular room cause such anxiety within Aya Mikage? Could it be Akito's faint aura leaking through the walls? Could it be Hatori's presence? Or could deep-seated guilt be the number one suspect for her sadness? 'I don't understand why I feel awkward coming into a familar room. I've been here before...so why does everything seem different?' The blond-haired female lingered by the doorway, trembling fingers still wrapped around cold steel. 'Aya are you alright?' The Celestial Maiden spoke out from the depths 'Don't you feel happy to be seeing Yuki Sohma?' Ceres questioned, golden-brown hues peering out into the darkness. Everywhere she looked shelves filled with various accessories rose to meet her scrutinizing gaze. What kind of prison was this? 'I remember being here earlier.' She stated to her host 'Though...I recall the room being less gloomy..then today.' Could it be approaching night-time sky casting illusions? Or mere tricks played from the eye? 'I feel fine.' Aya said, veiling the anguish beneath an optimistic smile 'I'm not the only individual in the world to have family problems.' That had to be the truth right? She wasn't the only sister in the world whose brother argued with her. Although brothers shouldn't act as aggressively as Aki Mikage did. What caused him to lose control? Why did he strike out at her? 'Aki's explosive anger seems to stem out of his ignorance.' Ceres explained, flashing back to the Sohma house. She could see vivid images of a bruised Hatsuharu emerging from the room, a little boy sporting rather ugly-looking blotches and an older male mentioning a fight at at school. 'Something wrong? Are you keeping a secret from me?' The young woman asked telepathically 'Even if it's bad...please don't keep the news hidden from me. Does it involve my brother?' A dozen questions escaped from Aya's throat, though none seemed to reach the Heavenly Maiden. Golden hues flashed briefly with an emotion to tense for her to notice, but paling facial features struck out as odd. The mere mention of Aki seemed to seal Ceres into her own self. 'Nothing is wrong.' She finally answered 'As for secrets...why should I keep them hidden from you? Even if I did know secrets...you wouldn't be able to handle another load of problems. Try dealing with issues one by one before attempting to tackle more problems...trust me.' Painted lips curved downwards in a tight-lipped smile 'I'd suggest paying more attention to the world outside. Seems..Yuki has become aware of your presence.' She directed Aya's gaze over to the older male seated across the bed side from a familar-looking silver-haired Sohma. 'I agree..my attention was focused somewhere else..' Swallowing harshly, the young woman looked over to find her hand still wrapped around the door knob. Pulling in a calming breath, Aya forced herself to begin walking towards the bed where Yuki Sohma laid in the same blank state.

'I must be foolish for tackling several problems at once. Somehow...I wasn't completely prepared to find Aki riled up...I was even stupid enough to suppress Ceres.' Pushing away bothersome thoughts, the young woman turned attention towards the doctor. His words should have provided some degree of comfort, but Yuki eating sparsely would not help him heal any faster. Nodding in acknowledgment, Aya's glossy pink lips parted to speak "I see..." Flickering azure orbs towards the pale Sohma male, she could see the fresh white bandages wrapped around Yuki's stomach and back. Soon those snowy-colored bandages would become tinged in blotches of faded pink to intense maroon shades. Wincing mentally at the thought of him covering in blood, Aya immediately blocked aside all gory pictures from days ago. "He is still bleeding from those wounds....at least he ate." She tried taking come comfort out of that, but somehow wasn't satisfied with the boy's prognosis. 'I suppose a bite is better to eating nothing...yet at the same time..he lost a lot of blood and his body will not regain strength quickly enough to protect him from infections.' Swallowing a lump from her throat, Aya neared Yuki's bed in time to see dozens of emotions flashing through his violet eyes. What was he feeling? Was he annoyed at her appearance? Was he angry at her? Did his mind send him back to his lonely childhood? Did he keep dreaming about Akito and the infamous whip? 'Still in shock...' Ceres' faint voice snapped Aya out of her mental assumptions. The sound of heavy footsteps upon the floor boards, caused her to glance up at Hatori with glittering blue orbs narrowing in suspicion. Watching him with keen eyes, she saw the doctor take his leave..before he stopped to leave a hesitant message. Why was he reluctant to continue? Gritting teeth together in anxiety, the female felt a sudden coldness slice into her chest. Friends? Yuki had friends? Were they the ones who had rejected Yuki? Clenching fists tightly, the blond-haired female nodded without saying a word to the departing doctor. What could she say anyway? 'Yuki healed on his own..even with friends? I don't understand Hatori's words completely...' Casting aside the male's words, Aya found herself walking towards the bed, worried blue-gray hues swept lightly over Yuki's pale face as if attempting to gather information over his emotional state. She couldn't figure out his feelings, for the zodiac rat resembled a fortress without visible cracks. However, Aya did get a glimpse of a redness pointing towards developing fever and possibly infection. "Yuki..." The young woman whispered his name "Let me see...if you have fever.." Extending a tender hand forward, she pressed lightly against soft skin. He felt warmer, then usual so that wasn't a positive sign. "Not good...I need to bring this down..before it get's worse." Thank goodness, she knew how to lower body temperatures. Perhaps, having an older brother who got sick often had been a blessing or maybe a curse. Walking momentarily away from the silver-haired youth, Aya filled a basin with luke-warm water. 'It's dangerous to lower his fever down abruptly...so I'll have to be slow.' Grabbing soft terry towels from the drawer below, she tossed two pieces of cloth into the bowl. Dipping both hands into the water bowl, she wrung out the soaked fabric until water stopped dripping. Narrowing blue eyes again, Aya focused on folding the moist towel over Yuki's forehead and at the same time reassuring him that everything was alright. 'Do not be afraid...' The blond-haired female whispered mentally. Healing his worst wounds would have to wait, till the youth was fast asleep.

Kagura glanced at him as he spoke. "What do i want? My, you're not one for hospitality are you? Strange how twins can be so different..." She muttered a bit to herself, knowing even the simple words could hurt at a time like this. One twin was a victim while the other was the the attacker. "Though i do realize this if your room you know... I think it's quite clear this isn't a woman's room." She said, giggling a bit at her assessment. Whether she was referring to the objects in the room, or the neatness was unclear but certainly not the issue. Kagura sighed as she turned to look at him as he struck a pose that he seemed to be trying to use to drive her away, obviously he had forgotten she had walked into his house without his permission in the first place, and entered the room they had been 'talking' in. Clearly he didn't quite understand that she wasn't much concerned about his room at the moment. "You can stand up strait and say what you mean you know, no needed to play these childish games..." She told him as she she turned to look at him, pushing him slightly again. As she did she watched him, her eyes critical as if searching for something within. There was something in the way he held himself, she could see the remorse in his eyes, the remorse that was filling his mind and his heart. No doubt it was the remorse that he had been dwelling on when she had walked on. Part of her was glad, remorse showed he at least thinking about it. It was what separated him from his mother and Akito yet. Still, even then had held remorse at some point, but had lost it. She didn't what to know if he just felt remorse, she wanted to know if he felt enough remorse. Enough remorse to do something more than wallow in it, anyone could wallow over what they had done. She wanted to know just how much he held, what it meant to him, and if he was willing to changed for it.

She looked away, walking over to one of the many pictures along the wall, practically all of them consisted of at least two people, him and his sister. "My don't the two of you look happy? You must be close..." She told him, glancing up at him, though her words were casual they were meant to hit home,a as she knew they would. "You know they say twins share and bond and can sense the other emotions, especially the close ones. I bet that's how Aya had a feeling you were in danger. She came to find you know, she was SO worried when she sensed your danger." She told him, waving absently to his wounds to make her point, as if her words weren't the kind meant to get to him. "Though you confuse me Aki, you clearly have a body, so how did you ignore it so well? I mean you MUST of felt her pain right? I mean... I keep trying to put me in her place..." Kagura told him as she picked up another picture. "Your entire family, the family who gave you birth and raised suddenly wants to kill you, you make a friend who is suddenly wounded, and at the end of the day you come home to the one person you are sure that, no matter what will be there for you. The one person you trust with your life and what does he do?" She asked, tilting her head to look at him again as she set down the happy picture. "He tries to hurt you, screams at you and insults you, i could practically hear her heart breaking form across the room and i just met her? Did you feel it Aki?" She asked turning to look at him, her words threatening an accusation without the aggressive tone. No, her tone was light and bright, as if her words were nothing, after all hadn't been what he had done? Spouting words that cut deep as if they didn't, ignorant to the feelings of others. Her words were slowly and slowly getting more aggressive though as she turned to look at him again, her attention no longer on the pictures but now on Aki now, her attention undivided as she prepared herself for her next course of actions.

"Come to taunt you?" She asked as it surprised. "My you act as if i have nothing better to do." She told him, with a sigh. "You know, you are the oldest child aren't you? I hear that older children have an inborn instinct to protect their younger siblings, but again you managed to fail that didn't you?" She asked him, "It seems there isn't a lot you can do, you try to protect her, you fail, you try to control her, and fail. I mean what can you do? I suppose you do get yourself beat up pretty well, i can give you THAT." She told him laughing at her own joke, knowing it was far from funny deep down. She could hear herself, who she was listening to wasn't her. Was this was Aki felt like? No... She knew better than that. Aki wanted to stop but couldn't control himself. Kagura, well, wanted to stop but had to force herself to continue. Why? Why was a girl, who knew the pain of her words from experience, forcing herself to use words as a weapon against a boy who was mentally beaten? Because she wanted to save their family from the same fate as hers. What would of happened to their family if Akito had grown up with a mother besides Ren? If Akito had learned to control her temper before it started? If someone had stepped in? It was too late to know, to ever know what their family would of been like. They would still be cursed, but would they of been happier? Who knew, she didn't, but the fact was Aki still had that chance. His compassion for those around him wasn't enough to stop him to change his ways, that had been made clear already so she was doing the next things, she was forcing them into his position. She was taking the position of Aki, forcing him to feel what Haru, Momiji, Yuki and Aya had felt. If he saw himself fromt he outside and what he was doing to himself maybe things would change. Would he hate her? Probably, but it would be worth it if she could save their family the pain that every single member of her family lived with every day of their lives.

"Knock Aya out? Goodness Aki do you think i would of let you do that?!" She asked him, "But it would of been nice to see you really try, but like everything you do it's half-hearted i guess." She said with a shrug as if it didn't matter, going back to looking at photographs until he spoke again. She paused, turning to look at him. "Did you figure it out? And here I thought i was being discrete." She said in a mock sigh, obviously not concerned that he had figured it out. "Let me tell you something, it doesn't matter if you know because you know what? It's working." She said with a laugh as she turned to look at him, but truly she knew that the only way to get rid of emotions were to let them out. "Even when you know you can't control your anger. Like i said... you really aren't good at much are you?" She asked him, still taunting him. She sighed, setting down a picture and walking over to watch him. "You're right Aki, i'm not in you're mind or you're body." She agreed, "I wouldn't of let my body get that badly beat up you see... but i suppose that's not what you wanted to know. You want to know why i know what they said didn't matter to you? I'll tell you." She agreed, settling herself down across from him as if about to tell a story. "You see, i know because of what happened a few minutes ago in your living room. And even now i see that you seem to forget you were only one of four who walked away from that battle wounded. When you snapped back at the school, four people paid for it. Haru and Kyo can hardly move now, and Momiji has bruises all up his side. Of course not that Momiji would ever complain to it even if the evidence was clear. He's too goot of a a kid and saved your life when you, quite frankly, didn't deserve it. And though you hardly have enough talent to harm them physically you really did manage to hurt them mentally. You see, you reminded Haru of someone who hurt someone very important to him while he was helpless to do anything. Not that I expect you to care, obviously you didn't before so there's no reason to care now." She pointed out as if sensing him emotions. "Then there's Momiji, the boy was willing to reach out everything, he always has seen to trusting. But let's go back to that moment, when did you do when he offered a way out of all this?" She asked, waving to him and his wounds. "You laughed, you insulted everything he IS. I suppose you didn't see that then either? Well it doesn't matter, does it? It didn't then so it hardly does now..." She said almost scarcasticly. "And yet he saved his life, he continued to give." She closed her eyes, even she didn't completely understand Momiji and how he could be so giving.

"But i'm afraid i have strayed from your original question having it? the answer in simple, that despite Haru's threat and Momiji's desperate plea, you still lashed out at your sister, and tried to hard the girl who believed in you above all other, you were her refuge that, it seems was built in the sand, doomed to collapse." She laughed bitterly, and it seemed to so the trick as suddenly she saw him lung at her, trying to push her out. She avoided his force easily. "Is that really all you have?" She sighed, "Still don't try much do you? You want to fight? Very well, let's go. Don't worry i won't wait for you to throw the first punch, i'm all too aware that you're to scared to." She told him as she suddenly lunged at him, raising her fist to hit him. However her intentions weren't to give him more bruises. Instead she watched his moves carefully, purposefully missing his head by inches as she watched his body instinctively flinch away. She smiled, knowing she had won. In between his anger and adrenaline there was no way out of it. It was a deadly combination that even the best would succumb two as he was now caught in his anger. She smirked, the two now caught in a fight. Kagura watched him closely, dodging every attempt to attack her easily as she continued throwing punches and kicks each one close, but none hitting him. Of course if he was thinking clearly it would of been obvious it was a set up. It was impossible that the girl who had flown half way across the room and stopped his hand in midair couldn't even land on punch on him. She knew he wasn't thinking clearly, and all that mattered to him was his anger. Thoughts were running though the head that weren't concentrating on where to land his next punch, but that were focused on his own anger. It would of been deadly in a real fight, but the fight was only real to him. When she sensed his anger was fading and that the irrational feelings from all of today were dissolving she went in for the kill. Instantly she was upon him, her body close to his as she pushed against his chest with one hand, forcing him onto the bed. With the other hand she raised it back, meeting his eyes as she aimed for his face. This time her aim didn't swerve, as her hand went directly for his face... stopping a few inches from his face, just as his hand had stopped in front of her Aya's. She started into his eyes for a few long moments befor pulling her hand back and climbing off of him, backing away to watching him. The cold expression was gone from her face, and her voice was content to remain silent as she watched him, giving him a moment.

√v^√v^√♥ √v^√v^√♥ √v^√v^√♥ √v^√v^√♥ √v^√v^√♥ √v^√v^√♥

Hatori nodded, "His wounds are slowly starting to scab over, it will be uncomfortable for a while...but many of them may never go away." He told her, his voice was professional, and showed none of the emotions he did or didn't feel. No, he was a doctor doing his duty as far as she was concerned. As he paused in the doorway though he glanced at her, she seemed to dismiss his words easily. He knew that she underestimated their curse. She had been though a lot, and seen a lot of their curse, and so she believed that that she knew all about their curse, that she completely understood it. That, and that alone, was the most dangerous part. She was assuming and it may cost her dear, not that it would probably matter to her in the end. He closed his eyes as he turned away, no she didn't know and couldn't know, the piece that made their curse as dark as it was, was him, was Hatori. He glanced back at Yuki, his mind was running, and his ears were working. Him mind was digesting everything that was said, but picking though and only registering the parts that didn't deal with the present. He didn't want to think about now, and maybe he was smart because of that. Maybe, and maybe not. But the truth was that by helping him now she may only be making it more painful for him in then end, when she stops coming, and when she doesn't come to save him. Hatori closed his eyes, Our curse was not meant for others to bear He could see what Yuki was attracted to her, her reaction to the curse was hardly what usually happened, she hadn't hated him or rejected him like his parents. Perhaps it was because she was cursed herself, Maybe she should of held to her own curse... He thought, but again if things played out in the fashion the curse did, she wasn't the one to get hurt. Others got hurt because of the curse and then healed, but they hurt more than they healed.

Yuki watched Hatori as he left, sudden images rising in his mind. He was young, looking up at Hatori though blurred vision. He was crying, his arms wrapped around a larger figure. "Please don't Hatori! They didn't do anything...we were just having fun... I don't want them to go!" He begged the larger male who placed a much larger hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry Yuki, but it's not my choice...this is the nature of the curse." A voice came from above, Yuki only cried harder, begging, but to no avail. That had been before Akito had taken him back into the dark room to remind him of his place. When he had come out he wasn't talking, his friends had long since forgotten about him. No one came to see him in the main house while Hatori treated his wounds, much as he did now. His parents hadn't come, his brother hadn't come, no he had been alone. He healed on his own, was released from the hospital room to his bed room, but it was all the same. It didn't matter what room he was in, it was all the same. He remembered meeting his cousins at some point, Haru and Momiji, with time had had started talking again, but even with them it wasn't until years and years later, when he had reached his high school years and moved out side the house, met Torhu and her friends, that he had begun to truly heal. And here he was again. Yuki seemed to snap back into the present as Aya touched his forehead, only jumping slightly because Hatori had just did the same thing. He closed his eyes, how many times had Hatori checked him for a fever? Despite being the one to erase his friends memories Hatori had been been the one to heal him after he had been hurt, it seemed to be a cruel twist of fate didn't it? He watched her walk away, part of him wanting to stop her, stop her from leaving and forgetting around him like his friends. After all if she left, how would he knew she would return? The truth was he didn't, in the end he was alone. Hatori was alone, Momiji was alone, Haru was alone, Kyo was alone, Rin was alone, they were all alone. When she returned he was almost...relieved, but he knew she would leave again, so what was the point? A picture of the little girl he had fallen onto that day sprang into his face as she shivered, she was so happy in her memory, it haunted him. Had she been that happy again after wards? Of course she had been, because she had forgot, not like him who remembered everything in vivid detail. As she put the cloth on his forehead he jumped slightly, pulling himself out of memory, only nodding, seeming to understand her intentions somehow. Hatori had done it to him all the time, even Haru had, every time he had come back with a fever Haru and Momiji had came to him doing all the could to help. He let the cool rag fall over his forehead and warm eyelids as she sank back into the pillow, after sometime, he wasn't sure how long, he felt into his dark memories again, memories of happy children and dark rooms, the same never-ending cycle he had awoken from, only to return to again, there was no escape.

ooc. omg i'm so sorry...i had ALL of this typed up when i suddenly lost ALL of it and had to re-do the ENTIRE thing...at 1:00... yeah, idk why i re did the whole thing to late but i wanted to before i lost it...Kagura was nicer in this post... yeah, she was really mean in the last one but anyway...hopefully it's ok, i don't think it turned out too bad for a repeat post *sigh* Bedtime for jess lol

.Tell me..What do they see. When they look at me? .Do they see my many personalities.ღ

{ "This pine tree is really high. I wonder if I could climb all the way to the top?" Curious blue-gray orbs focused upwards to where lush green needles greeted brilliant golden rays from the rising sun. "Climb? Don't tell me that! How are you going to climb this huge tree? How do you expect to come down?!" Aki cried out, reaching a trembling hand to latch onto Aya's blue over-all's "Grandfather warned up over this particular tree." The blond-haired male warned, narrowing indigo hues down at his youngest sibling. Arms crossed over her chest, Aya's pale lips formed into a cute pout "No one is watching." She pointed out, throwing several glances around the front lawn. Stiff pig-tails bounced up and down as the little girl rounded Aki on her way to climb up the thick tree stump. "Aya!? Wait..." He tried reasoning with his stubborn sibling, but his sister had other ideas. Digging stout finger-tips into several holes, the blond-haired female began using upper body strength to haul herself slowly up the pine tree. Inch by inch, yard by yard she reached the upper branches with Aki Mikage standing protectively beneath her. His arms were out-stretched ready to catch Aya if she were to lose balance and fall six feet to the hard ground below.} Memories and pictures. Which were more important to him? Trembling fingers ran lightly over cold glass, tracing smile faces. Two siblings sitting together on a park bench with identical ice cream cones held in hand. Two siblings who had once shared secrets together. Now the only memories Aki could latch onto were the physical ones in his room. 'Apparently...my anger was more important to me.' Doubling both hands into white-knuckled fists, he slammed curled fingers into the soft bed sheets. With each pressured hit, the springs groaned inwardly as if protesting against him. "Quiet." The blond-haired male snarled beneath his breath, but reminded himself that Kagura Sohma was still in his room. "I'm not one to offer hospitality." He answered curtly, indigo hues showing an indignant shimmer with her insults over his neat room. What? Was it bad to have every single object in his bed-room coordinated by letters and colors? Was it bad to keep his bed in neat order? Mitsuki's constant jabbering for household cleanliness had pushed the entire Mikage Family to keep their bed rooms in constant neatness. Being orderly made life a lot simpler for finding things, yet at the same time pressure drove Aki up the wall. "Hey! For one I love living in a clean room...not some dust filled closet covered in bugs." He wrinkled his at the thought. However, the brown-haired female had not entered his room for any reason then to taunt him. 'There is something else...she wants to tell me.' What did she want anyway?

Shoulders tensing slightly, the blond-haired male followed Kagura all the way to the opposite wall where a dozen pictures hung from sea-shell covered frames. Remorseful blue-violet orbs flickered lightly from face to face recognizing several pictures belonging to their trip in Long Beach. "Aya was worried about me?" Aki questioned softly, his voice lowering for daggers sliced into his heart. Of course she would worry over his safety. He was her brother, but at the same time his own blood and flesh possessed a heart of gold. Could she forgive him? Could she ever find it in that heart of her's to trust again? 'Trust and respect need to be earned. No one is going to dish out their feelings on a silver platter. Frankly...Aki Mikage...you were the one who placed yourself in this position...now you're regretting what you've done.' The rational voice in his mind scolded, along with Kagura's more painful words being shoved into him. Swallowing harshly, the young man looked away for her words suddenly hit home. 'Aki...the Mikage Family wants me dead...' Aya's earlier confession rose up to cloud his mind with conflicting emotions 'Tell me the truth...you little whelp!' His own savage voice created an illusion of previous events. He was stand once again in the living room with one hand held prepared to lash out at a very frightened Aya Mikage. Wide blue-gray hues reflected anguish and then a feeling similar to betrayal. Realization slapped Aki right in the face, his sister. His own sister had come to him for comfort and what did he do? Instead of placing himself in her shoes, he went ahead with despicable insults. With threats about hitting Aya until his arm ached from the constant beating. Leaning against the wall for support, the blond-haired male ran finger tips through tangled blond-hair. He couldn't describe the feeling rising in him, but it was the type of emotion some criminals felt. Could it be the beginnings of guilt? Or was he molested at himself for treated Aya like an animal? Straightening his slumped posture, the blond-haired adolescent faced Kagura's next verbal assult. Body tensing automatically with dying anger, he snarled at the zodiac boar "Silence!" He snapped suddenly, bringing an index finger to point at Kagura "I only wanted to protect Aya from dangers...obviously I DID fail." Aki hissed, placing emphasis on the word for extra measure "But I didn't need to know that now...did I?" The youth sneered, shaking his to get rid of the images. Agonizing pictures filled with pained tears. Images of one blond-haired female looked down at him in disdain. 'Gomen...Aya..' He began to find himself cornered into a position where Haru and Momiji were before. Through his eyes, Aki witnessed how it felt to be truly taunted with words.

Fool. He was a fool for attempting to hide himself behind white lies. Deep in his heart Aki Mikage felt jagged knives tearing into his very soul. Why? Why did he listen to Kagura's words? Why did he allow her to continue reminding him of past events? 'Because you know it's true. Because Haru Sohma was about to take your life with his very own hands. Remember Momiji? Remember how he stepped between you and Haru!? He risked his life to save your's and yet...at the same time you laughed in his face. It hurts...doesn't it? It hurts to have someone rubbing it in your nose.' That voice in his mind whispered venomously 'Now you know what it feels like...' Swallowing harshly, the blond-haired male clenched hands tightly, until his knuckles creaked in protest. Pale skin turning doughy-white from the pressure Aki placed on his fingers, the youth finally snapped as Kagura Sohma's last sentence hit home. Everything he and Aya had built in a life time...lost to the sands of time. Every single memory they shared as family washed away. Could he ever rebuild it? With effort maybe? But words were painful enough to leave life long scares on an individual and Aki knew...he had left several people nearly immobile. Haru, Momiji, Kyo and Aya...those individuals paid for his stupid ignorance. 'I can't stand this anymore!' Ignoring the rational voice in his mind, the blond-haired male allowed warm adrenaline to pump through his veins. Euphoria making his movements rather clusmy and uncoordinated for Aki Mikage was not a boy used to martial arts. Swinging curled fists in all directions, he barely had time to react as Kagura lunged towards him without warning. Her movements were fluid, filled with grace and purpose. She moved like a graceful crane in mid-air, while he flopped around the room trying to land direct hits on her slender body. Indigo hues widened momentarily upon catching an aimed fist for his head. Instinctively, Aki flinched backwards to avoid being hit directly. A deadly blow to the head could render him unconscious or worse...bring on instant death. "Are you trying to kill me?" He questioned out, panting harshly for his body wanted no more movements. Stiffening muscles whimpered with each forceful twist and cracked ribs rubbed painfully against each other. "Ugh..." Thinning lips into a determined line, the youth kept fighting on his cloudy combination of adrenaline mixed anger. Exhaustion prickled Aki's spinal cord as his body decided to suddenly shut down on him, fury dissolving just he found himself having an up close encounter with Kagura Sohma. Indigo orbs widening in astonishment, the young man rasped out for she pushed him backwards onto the bed. Falling off balance, the blond-haired male landed on the soft mattress with violet-blue hues snapping automatically shut. He had captured a brief glimpse of Kagura's other hand pulled backwards as if to hit him, but after an indefinite amount of time nothing came. No pain. No shrill cries. Nothing, except dead silence.

What happened? Why had stillness fallen over the house? Straining his ears to hear, the adolescent could capture nothing, but the sound of his own hoarse breathing. 'Kagura was about to hit me...so what made her stop?' Eyelids fluttered open to see the brown-haired Sohma hovering over him with curled fist coming down. Breath backing up into his lungs, the youth waited to feel immense pain..yet the woman's fist froze mere inches from his facial features. 'Fear and horror...this must have been what Aya was feeling.' As Kagura looked into his eyes for what seemed like an eternity, she finally left him free to take gulps of fresh air. Indigo hues shut against painful memories threatening to rise. Why? Why had Kagura taunted him into playing a deadly game of cat and mouse? He could have hurt her...or rather it could've been backwards. She would have been the one to finish killing him if that blow had landed squarely on his face. Swallowing dryly, the young man pulled himself into a seated position on the bed with eyes glancing around the room. Cloudy sapphire hues cleared to reveal the old Aki his sister had once sought for warmth. Faint tears swam in his vision, but he didn't let them fall. Twisting his head sideways, Aki Mikage let his watery gaze fall directly on Kagura "Why?" The young man asked "You had your chance to knock me out...so why did you stop?" He probably knew the true answer deep down, yet at the same time Aki found himself dealing with vestiges of sorrow combined with anguish. "Let me guess...I was being taunted..just to release all this pent up anger..." Of course, she could also have been trying to save him. 'Save me from what? From myself?' Shrugging tense shoulders, he fell into sight silence until every possible image rose in his line of sight. "Yeah...it took me just now to realize how much damaged..I've caused with my attitude. I suppose...it'll take eternity for conflicts to settle down." Aki replied, referring to his incidents with the Sohma males earlier at school.

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{ "I wonder what type of flowers mother likes?" Feet crossed neatly beneath her starched tribal outfit, Miku Mikage leaned forward to caress several purple-blue violets with tender fingers. "Hmm...if I recall correctly dad used to bring fresh flowers for mom everyday....I wonder what happened to make him stop. Did the plants suddenly die? Or..." She took her hand away from the blossoms with a bad feeling welling up in her chest. "Or did mom ask him to stop?" What happened to make father behave strangely? What had mother done to him? Why did her parents argue constantly? Drawing knees upwards, the raven-haired female pressed a hand beneath her chin in deep thought. How could a happy marriage suddenly turn sour? What were the mechanics involving love? "I don't know the answer, but I remember mother mentioning love at first sight? Does it even exist?" She leaned back against the tree trunk, recalling detailed images of her mother telling stories underneath the candle light. Ceres told grand tales involving Heaven and Tennyo's. A beautiful fairytale in which Miku wished to have lived in. How would life be, if she had wings? Mother had them at one time in her existence, but what happened to Ceres' ability to fly? Pushing aside bothersome questions, the young woman decided to gather some violets for her beloved mother and siblings. That would cheer them up! "Hopefully..." Yes, hopefully her efforts weren't in vain. The family needed at least some joy in their meager cabin filled with sparse belongings. Pushing herself away from the trunk, Miku broke several stems in her search for the most beautiful blooms. Finding several purple violets growing in a patch near their house, the black-haired female gathered flowers until her basket over-flowed with different specimens. Brushing off clay dust from her dress, the young woman walked towards the lone cabin, but as she neared several choked cries froze Miku in place. Dropping the basket onto the dirt road, she ran instinctively inside to find her mother lying sideways with fresh bruises covering one cheek. "What happened!?" Her worried voice rang above, Ceres' desperate cries. Cracked lips formed broken words "Y..your father is changing into a m..monster! I..I thought I knew him...but look at my stupidity." She snarled softly "Apparently...my ability to judge has been sorely compromised." Lowering her head against the straw mat, the Celestial Maiden pressed herself against the cold floor, hollow golden hues gazing up at her daughter's tear-stained face. }

'What kind of mistakes will Aya commit? Will she suffering an unpleasant surprise like I did?" Ceres pondered quietly "I'm afraid to admit it...but my descendant is underestimating the Sohma curse.' Tossing fresh mud on her old memories, the raven-haired female moved anxiously inside of Aya Mikage. Painted red lips thinned into a line of disapproval for the young woman dismissed Hatori's words without even pausing to ponder the meaning behind them. Was there a real reason he said those words? Was he foreshadowing an oncoming disaster? Narrowing amber hues, the heavenly maiden spoke out to her host 'Hatori Sohma appears harmless...but don't let his serious appearance fool you into a false sense of security. I heard earlier from one of the Sohma members...that he has the ability to do things.' She warned mentally, hoping that her grand-daughter would be wise enough to heed the alarm bells. 'I'm not attempting to separate you from Yuki...however...I suggest being on guard at all times.' As the words rung inside Aya's subconscious mind, she could feel cold tension seeping inwardly. Obviously, such bleak news served in slapping some realization into the half-tennin. 'What do you mean? What is Hatori capable off doing to me? I haven't done anything wrong to deserve punishment...and do you think Yuki needed to be hit this hard? Just because he got close to me? I will not let a doctor's words scare me away.' Aya snapped mentally, before glancing up at the departing doctor with widening blue hues. She wanted to deny every word Ceres had spoken, but the blank tone in Hatori's voice began to sprout seeds of doubt into her heart. Was she being foolish for not heeding warnings? "I see...some scares are hard to heal...and those that do will forever stay there." The blond-haired female commented, watching as the dark-haired man lingered by the doorway. His gazed fell squarely on her trembling form and Aya couldn't help flinching underneath his scrutinizing stare. What was he thinking? 'I feel like a bug...beneath a microscope.' Funny comparison right? Yet, ironic at the same time. Sohma doctor meeting Celestial Maiden underneath the very same roof. 'Ceres....stop putting secret fears into my heart.' She scolded, but found herself speaking to empty space. Eyes snapping wide in realization, Aya panicked mentally for Ceres appeared to have fallen asleep again. Although a small portion of the maiden's private conversation leaked through several cracks in her defense 'Aya underestimates everything...just like Aki.' Just like her brother? What could she mean? Was Ceres worried over her welfare?

'Like Aki? How can Ceres compare me to him?' Skillful fingertips folded the damp towel outwardly, so the edges wouldn't bother Yuki. Taking one step backwards to glance down at her work, Aya's glossy lips curved downwards in a satisfied smile. 'I can't erase memories nor erase Yuki's anguish. Except...I can make an attempt to heal his worst wounds with my Tennyo powers..but what about Aki? His gashes are bad...yet' Gritting teeth furiously, the blond-haired female fought against the turmoil threatening to rise. 'Why? I keep replaying earlier events...at home...and I don't understand why he wanted to strike out at me?' Was she foolish for telling Aki her secret? Grabbing a hold of the basin, the young woman walked back to the counter to refill the bowl with more luke-warm water. Extending both hands outwards, Aya found herself latched onto the faucet handles, but unable to even muster enough strength to turn them on. Why? Why did it hurt to move? Why did it hurt to feel? Why did her heart feel heavy? Shimmering gray-blue hues stung with unshed tears. She wanted to cry, but with Yuki sleeping peacefully behind her there was no reason to make noise. 'Aya...I know it hurts.' Ceres stirred from her restless slumber, unable to concentrate on gathering energy for her host's stressed state made it nearly impossible. 'Your brother's explosive attitude is due to his own ignorance. He wants to know what is happening around him...yet at the same time Aki sees his world in black and white. He can't see...because he wishes not to see. Now...take a deep breath..remember we came here to heal Yuki's worst wounds. Heaven knows that poor boy is suffering in silence...unable to escape from the cycle of nightmares Akito forced into him. Let's start by freeing your mind from negative thoughts.' Summoning small amounts of celestial power, the black-haired female transformed herself from floating energy orb to a full-sized illusion reflected in Aya's thoughts. Unclenching stiff fingers from around the sink knobs, the blond-haired female walked towards Yuki. Clearing away cobwebs, she waited eagerly for the Tennyo's next set of mental instructions. 'I will not lecture you...however just close your eyes and let the energy flow. Celestial powers can be used for destructive or healing purposes...so whatever you are thinking is how your body will manifest those powers. Don't touch him...just hover your hands in mid-air for he might end up injuring himself if he sees you using magic.'

Lips curving into a motivational smile, the Tennin watched Aya extend hands upwards with palms faced downwards in the characteristic stance Ceres had instructed her. 'Here I go.' Closing sapphire hues, the blond-haired female probed through mental maps of the Sohma's worst injuries. 'The ones on his back are bad....and his stomach...' Fighting back against the rising sorrow, she concentrated on healing his deepest gashes, while leaving minor wounds to heal naturally by themselves. 'I...I'm to weak to completely erase those deep wounds ...but at least..they won't bleed or hurt him much. Unless...' Breaking off her thought process, Aya opened eyes to see her reflection staring back from the opposite wall. A blond-haired female with a ghostly pink-white aura surrounded her lithe frame for a few minutes, before disappearing into oblivion. 'Aya! I told you not to over do it!' Ceres yelled mentally 'Your body isn't prepared to handle massive amounts of Celestial energy. Just look at yourself...exhausted from problems...lack of sleep...we'll end up running ourselves to the ground.' Shaking her head in exasperation, the black-haired female departed from sight..leaving Aya Mikage to collapse into the nearest chair from sheer wariness. Glassy blue hues gazed at the ceiling as warm tears trailed unseen down her cheeks 'At least...these powers were used to heal...' Was she even a little useful? Was she able to at least steal away some pain from the silver-haired Sohma? Bringing a hand to her face, Aya scrubbed the annoying tears from beneath her eyes. Reaching over to grab a thin blanket from the bed right behind her, the blond-haired female prepared herself to spend an all nighter standing guard over a beloved zodiac rat. 'I won't be able to see the results till he wakes up tomorrow...' Drawing knees upwards, the young woman hid her face from sight as images from her previous encounter with Aki left an empty sensation where faith had once blossomed. Empty. She felt empty without her brother's warmth. But that was the faith of a cursed individual right? Cursed to be rejected, isolated or even killed by people who failed to understand. "Yuki..." Whispering his name soundlessly, Aya peered at him through bangs of wavy golden-brown hair. He did not deserve this fate. He deserved to be happy and to be loved. The silver-haired Sohma needed a normal girl who wouldn't bring on disaster, like she had done. 'Maybe..I did deserve to be killed...after all..Tennyo's bring about calamity.' Averting blue-grey hues towards the Eastern window, she fell back to her early argument with Aki Mikage.

Kagura watched Aki with a sigh, "I see that... i guess that's why you have Aya isn't it? Someone has to keep company here." She told him as she brushed a strand of hair behind her face, her eyes growing distant as she looked at one of the pictures. They had grown up with a normal childhood, with laughter and playing together, knowing they could tell each other when they stole a cookie. It was a bliss that few of them had truly experienced, though Ayame and Shigure seemed to of had little problems in their youth. Like all of them they had discovered the curse's role in their life, just later. Coming form someone who had seen Yuki's childhood, Kyo's childhood and Momiji's childhood she didn't understand how someone could of thrown it away so easily. All it took was a moment, a moment to hurt and wound to weaken that trust. Is it still there? She asked herself as she turned to look at Aki again, picturing Aya's face in her mind. She hadn't known her long, though she had heard the story, but sue was willing to bet that she would forgive him, if he shaped up that is. They were bound, and not just by blood. They were bound by the memories, and know the knowledge that Aki had fought so hard to get. It was like their family, all of them bound by a curse, by an unspoken understanding. It's a pain to have to talk about it now, to have to acknowledge the pain and suffering... She thought to herself, because all of them know that talking and seeing it only succeeded in making it worse. They had a mutual understand of each others pain, spoke of it only when they had to, enjoy what you could when you could, because you never knew when that would be taken away from you. They were there to support each other and listen when one of them was in pain, knowing they could do nothing and doing their best to help them move on and forget. They were all helpless, but they were helpless together. The two of them, they weren't as hopeless yet, but they were still bound by that chain of trust, even if it had been beaten against and weakened.

"Do you even have to ask that? you act as if you don't know her at all! Of course Aya was worried about you. She was watching Yuki..." She hesitated, realizing she didn't want to go there. "When she sensed trouble. Did you lose yourself that much to deny the natural and inbred connection you two share?" She asked him, her voice almost in disbelief. How could a person lose themselves that much to lose the very natures of who they are? He was lucky to share that bond with someone, it was something he didn't have to try at, it was a part of him and yet even that had been cast aside. How can people turn from a human to a monster so fast? She thought to herself, sighing. And this is what happens when you turn acknowledge your situation...you lose yourself in it... She sighed to herself, raising an eyebrow at his demand. "I'm sorry, but silence isn't the answer right now." She told him, Now is a time that your situation has hit you in the face, and won't be ignored...even if you wish it. She added in her head, laughing a bit as his come back. "My how Ironic Aki, you didn't need to know? There were a lot of things you didn't NEED to know, wasn't there? But you were so insistent on finding out that you alienated two allies and a sister to find out, and now you don't want to know?" She asked him, taunting his intentions. "I wonder how much it really meant to you to begin with? How much of your actions were anger, and how much you?" She asked him, daring him to challenge her. She wanted him to challenge him, to stand up for himself and what he was, prove that he was better, that he still cared. Was this for him or for her? She wasn't sure anymore. Somehow she had allowed to let herself become entangled in this like the rest of them, but she wasn't going to back down. She wanted to believe that in the depths of madness and uncontrollable emotion there was reason and a desire for something more. He wanted to get rid of his emotions, for the sake of his family, he needed to find the will to battle himself for the ones he loved.

Does Akito love anyone? She asked herself suddenly, despite the rising tension in the room. Akito was attached to them, they were bound together, but the love that was supposed to exist in a family either never formed or was buried six feet beneath his pale skin and cold attitude. Was there someone he loved that he would fight for, was there anyone who could make him see reason? Someone that he wanted to change for. Someone who could reach out through the insanity to a heart? Born to die. A voice echoed in her head, Akito didn't expect love, only death and darkness. The death and darkness she brought to them, to join her in. "Don't fight it Aki, you couldn't fight it before, you can't now..." She coaxed him, her words no longer sarcastic, almost warm and inviting. At his question she didn't respond, her heart was beating in her chest as she watched the boy, for a second that lasted an eternity her eyes meeting his, the boar clearly having no intention to answer as the fighting seemed to resume. She ducked ever blow, jumped around the room as he swung. What was he thinking? Perhaps his thoughts were similar to hers, would this even work? She closed her eyes, what if the emotions were already to powerful and this was all pointless? She ducked, her eyes still closed, to avoid a punch. She opened her eyes, returning all her senses as she saw it in his eyes. The end... She thought to herself. Then end to his anger. Anger that would try to start again, but it was anger that was easier to avoid than stop. And then she was on top of him, pinning him with one hand, the other just inches from his nose. She listened to him, his questions. He wanted to know why, he knew. She knew he knew, but he didn't understand. His ignorance was indeed leading him to destruction, and the inability to see it would of pushed him beyond what he could control. Eventually he could or realized, but by then he would of been too long gone.

"Because, you still have a chance of recovering what you lost." She told him softly, It's not to late for you... She added, an unspoken and unthought phrase followed that, that she didn't dare to acknowledge. 'Unlike us.' Wordlessly she walked over to him, slipping her backpack off of her back as she sat down beside him, gently reaching out, slowly in case he was jumpy yet. Her eyes and voice were warm, like the girl who had first stepped into their house. Like the girl who had spent long nights awake with Torhu fixing a paper door. She rolled up his sleeve, slowly, her touch soft as she glanced at his wounds, pulling off the makeshift wrappings he had used to bind himself to look at the wounds. She could almost see Haru's rage as she touched the wounds, each one telling a story, a moment in time, a thought in Haru's head. She looked up at him, pulling out anti-infection cream and gauze from her bag, She started slowly spreading the cool cream onto his wounds as she listened. "Aki, there is much you still don't understand." She told him after a moment, when his words had died into the silence. She didn't look up to meet his eyes as she ran a finger along a cut. "Don't ask, and don't try to find out for i'm sure you will know soon enough. Believe me when i say i have seen what anger like that can do to a family." She told him, starting to re-wrap his wounds, with much more expertise than he had. Where she had learned it, well it wasn't important but to put it simply, all Sohma's had a knack for bandaging wounds. "Maybe you don't understand yet... but every decision we make effects who we will become in the next moment, the past helps us remember who we were, but who we were doesn't decide who we'll be, it's who we are." She told him as she pulled tightly, knowing it would hurt, digging though her bag for scissors, pulling them out and cutting the end, using medical tape to heal it. "I've seen people become who you would of, and there's a sister out there that needs you." She told him, setting the scissors down and looking up at him since the first time she sat down. Instead of the sincere smile you'd expect to see a completely different smile had found it's way to her lips. "So stop being a baby about it!" She laughed, suddenly seeming to appear as the girl who had first walked in, completely oblivious to the situation. "Now... take off your shirt." She told him, her phrase sounding strangely out of place despite her intent to re-bandage his back and chest.

Hatori leaned back in his chair his eyes traveling around the desk and shelves around him. He paused for a moment on the familiar picture on the bookshelf before closing his eyes, looking away. He could already see her smile in his mind, he didn't need to look at it to remember. It all started with a smile, and ended with a smile. In between was only pain, loss and sorrow. In between was the reality that they weren't meant to dwell with outsiders, and knowing that no matter how real it was, the memories can vanish in the blink of an eye, leaving you alone. Yuki and Aya, they hadn't gotten as much time to smile. Yuki hadn't gotten as much time before reality had struck back. It made him mildly curious, not that he was complaining. Less time meant there was less to suffer over, less moments to know were lost, less emotions to build. Feelings like that, they built up, the less time you gave them to built the less harmful the fall. Still, why had Akito attacked them so quickly? She often saw relationships that formed with zodiac members, but she never got involved until it came to her. Akito waited until it came to her, she didn't go looking for outsiders, she didn't want to associate with them. Why had she taken the initiative? Aya was under a curse as well, did that have anything to do with it? Had the girl felt threatened? No one had ever understood their circle, no outsider had ever joined the feast. No normal, human girl had never had a chance of interfering in their family business? Perhaps because Aya was cursed she was a greater threat of entering their circle in Akito's eyes. Aya could sympathize and feel with the members of the zodiac, something Akito had failed in doing? Did Hatori see Aya as a threat that threatened to take away the position that the young girl had held for so long? Akito was scared of outsiders, she couldn't stand the thought of losing her family because that's all she had to hold on, and had logn ago resolved that she would hold on in anyway she had too.

In Hatori's mind it was a mistake to tell Aya of the curse, telling anyone of the curse only led to heartache in the end, and Yuki had suffered enough already. The reasons didn't matter, regardless Akito had declared war against Aya, and it would not end well. Akito, and Akito alone would take control of her family by pulling out her secret weapon. They were all trapped in it together, and god pulled the strings. If she didn't want anyone else, no one else would enter. Yuki was young. He didn't deserve anything that had happened, it had been wrong, regardless of what Akito had been thinking. Yet he didn't understand yet, maybe he never would if he never let himself understand Akito. If he never did let himself he couldn't blame him, but knowing made it easier, in a way. He doubted Yuki would ever see it, see what Kureno, Shigure and him had seen. He closed his eyes, he saw a scared Akito, lashing out at everything around her, a habit she had picked up from her mother. For a second he could see Kana's smile again, and smile she could now smile again after forgetting. Now that he thought of it Aya's smile was a bit like Kana's. He hadn't met her before all this but he was sure he would see it, and how similar it was. She still had the same caring and understanding heart as Kana had had. Those hearts are the ones that are always hurt the most...when reality sets in. The suffer the most because of our emotions. He thought. While he wanted to deny it, it was only a matter of time, It's true Akito had let Tohru go, and for what purposes Hatori still wasn't completely sure, but Aya was a different story. She had crossed the line, gotten involved and fought against Akito, participated in his war. Unfortunately you could only fight if you knew what you were fighting for. Surely it's only a matter of ti...

"Dr. Hatori?" A voice interrupted his thoughts as he glanced up, his eyes falling to the doorway where one of the house maids were standing nervously in the doorway, not wanting to interrupt him. Hatori frowned slightly. "Hm?" He asked, not moving from his position as she cleared her throat nervously. She must be new... He thought, his eyes scanning her for traces of recognition. His gaze seemed to make her more nervous as she continued, Hatori deciding he didn't recognize her. "Aki...I mean, the head wants to see you right away regardless of wha..." The girl started but Hatori waved her off, already knowing what she was going to say 'regardless of what you are doing.' Akito was the center of the family, and she needed to be , she needed to be the most important thing. In the end, it was better to give it to her, he didn't want to agitate her any more, he couldn't just walk away. In the end no zodiac member could truely deny god, even if they wanted to, no matter how much some of them tried .They may try to work around it, but but couldn't triumph over him. "I'm not doing anything anyway," He explained at her apologetic expression. He stood up,making his way to the door, the girl leading him down the familiar maze of hallways. "How is he doing anyway?" He asked, asking more for conversations sake then curiosity. Regardless of what mood Akito was in it would end up the same, though considering she was asking for people she was at least in a stable state for the moment. "Oh...well he's doing well, a bit shaken up still i think, he's pacing around his room quite a bit the last couple days." She told him, Hatori nodding. One thing he had discovered long ago was that pacing usually served only to agitate, not sooth. as they arrived the woman opened the door fro him, quickly hurrying away, leaving Hatori to enter by himself.

When he entered he wasn't completely surprised to see Akito wasn't alone, though it took him a second to spot the sitting figure of Kureno in the corner. Hatori nodded before turning to look at Akito who seemed to of just noticed his presence. "Akito," Hatori muttered, nodding his head as he walked over to the head, kneeling before the agitated god. "You summoned?" Hatori asked, glancing up at Akito who nodded. "I can't stand it anymore Hatori! That girl! That woman! She...She thinks she can understand, i can't stand her stealing Yuki away! She had no right! She doesn't belong in this family, she doesn't belong with us! Thinking she can come in and steal Yuki! Then daring to try and destroy me and tear this family apart! Does she think that can stop our feast by killing me?" Akito laughed bitterly, in her mind confusing the line between Ceres and Aya. They were the same as far as she was concerned, and they were standing between her family. Hatori knelt wordlessly listening. He already knew what was happening, he had known as soon as he had seen that girl in his doorway. Akito was ranting to herself, as he was sure she had been doing for the last couple hours with only Kureno to hear, as she had been doing for the last couple days to herself even every waking moment. "I can't stand her! I can't stand her Hatori! I want her gone! She's going to destroy everything! Make her go away! I want you to make her go away! Let her go back to her family! Let them deal with her! I don't want to..." Akito's voice had risen almost into a scream as she collapsed into herself, the god no sure how to continue. She wrapped her arms around her head, digging her nails into the back of her neck, not sure how to handle her anger as she screamed to herself. Instantly the two figure made their move. Kureno rushed over, grabbing Akito's wrists and pulling them again from herself, Kureno wrapping his arms around Akito so she couldn't try it again as a slight trickle of blood ran down her neck. "Akito." Hatori said softly, pulling an inhaler out of his pocket and placing it in Akito's mouth, the girl gasping for breath. "You know all you have to do is say the word, if you want her gone... i'll make her disappear." He told Akito in an attempt to calm her. "She won't bother us again... just say the word." He told her, the words seeming to comfort Akito somewhat as she nodded into Kureno's shirt, pushing herself up slightly to look at Hatori. "Please..." She said softly, her voice cracked, Hatori long ago learning that their god was more of a fallen angel. Hatori nodded, god had spoken.

.Tell me..What do they see. When they look at me? .Do they see my many personalities.ღ

'Precious family memories gone down the drain and all it took was one moment of foolishness to ruin years of trust.' The blond-haired male thought bitterly to himself 'Is Aya capable of giving up her hatred? Is she capable of forgiving me? Can we ever have faith in each other again?' If only he had the power to reverse time. If only he could get one chance at redemption. Would Aki be able to succeed in regaining lost time? Could he face his own flesh and blood again? Cracked lips curved downwards in a simple smile "I supposed you could say that about Aya and I. She has always been the counter balance in the family...always finding ways of coping with mother's harsh anger." He explained, indigo hues flickering towards a photograph of his parents standing against sky-blue waters. Extending one hand out, the blond-haired adolescent ran several slender fingers over his father's posed figure. Warm blue-gray orbs stared out from behind reinforced glass, crinkled lips curved downwards in a smile filled with serenity. Obviously, his father was enjoying his vacation by the ocean..while on the other hand Mitsuki stood sideways with glossy lips drawn into a scowl. Sharp violet-blue hues glanced not at the camera, but at the dozens of crying sea-gulls in the picture. 'Just by looking into their faces...I can see how contrasting both are in their attitudes.' Different attitudes. Different tastes. Mother hated traveling, while father adored spending his time out by the water's edge. "Heh...I admit my mistakes." He whispered softly, Prussian-colored hues falling squarely on Kagura Sohma "Somewhere along the way I lost myself to my own emotions. Getting angry over every little thing does not solve problems...I know that in my heart...but you could say mother had a deep influence with my behavior." Wincing slightly, the young man could almost hear his mother screaming at him for leaving a few paper scraps on the table. Even simple spills would drive his mom to the point of physical strikes. 'Is it genetic?' Shrugging off the question, Aki couldn't help looking crest-fallen with Kagura's next words. "Of course I had to ask!" He exclaimed loudly, attempting in hide his own feelings of annoyance for having asked such a stupid question. The evidence was right beneath his very nose and buried somewhere in his troubled memories. Aya Mikage. His younger twin sister. His faithful companion. His best friend, had come all this way just to check on him? Why would his sister taken the trouble to visit someone like him?'Are you still asking obvious questions? Has common sense died around here?' The sound of his own rational voice drove Aki Mikage into a crazed state.

He wanted to scream at his mind to stop asking such idiotic questions. Yet, at the same time his reasoning helped him gain traction in a world filled with conflicting emotions. Were his feelings mixed up? How could his own burdens transform him into a heartless monster? Straightening himself into a seated position on the rumpled bed, the blond-haired male rubbed his neck sheepishly. Parting lips to speak, Aki averted indigo hues to the cream-colored carpet below his feet "Yes...Kagura I did lose myself in the cloud of anger. Actually..." He trailed off into silence as if thinking for the right words to structure his delicate sentence "Actually...I was the one who chose to ignore that inbred instinct..which holds sibling bonds together. Emotionally..I might not have forgotten, but physically yes." Why did he admit his mistakes in front of Kagura Sohma? What made him open up to her? Was it trust? Comfort? Or because no one had dared to put him in his place? Whatever the case maybe, the blond-haired adolescent found himself thanking heaven for an opportunity to redeem himself. Sure, the road would a long one. The road to recovery would be filled with pot holes and conflicts...but Aki was willing to face them head on. 'Actions speak louder then words.' Of course actions spoke louder, then words. He had seen with his very own eyes what actions could do. Even words meant to be carried away by the wind, ended up causing pain. Just look at what happened at school with Momiji and Haru. Digging nails into navy-colored bed sheets, the young man whirled around aggressively to face Kagura with a fierce expression lighting indigo hues with flecks of indignant feelings. Furrowing one slender eyebrow upwards in challenge, Aki forced himself to speak against her taunting words "I was insistent...and I still am!' He snarled, knowing inwardly his words consisted of weak tones. Yes, he wanted to know what happened. Yet...at the same time did he even want to find out? Did he want to know what Aya was going through? Pulling in a ragged breath to calm himself, the youth glanced upwards at the mention of Yuki Sohma. "Aya was watching Yuki?" He questioned softly "I remember Haru briefly mentioning that he suffered an accident of some kind. No wonder...Aya-Chan left the classroom in a hurry. Now I understand her motives for acting very alarmed."Breaking his conversation in mid-sentence, Aki rummaged through his mind for helpful hints. Instead of finding clues to solve Yuki's mysterious disappearance from school, he found himself sitting back in the same classroom with the professor's monotone voice echoing dimly in his ear.

Pen held tightly in one hand, the blond-haired male drifted indigo hues from the white board towards Aya Mikage seated on the opposite side. Her facial expression reflected nervousness, fear and caution, blue-gray orbs had even taken on a glassy appearance until she suddenly ran from the room in haste. Who could have told Aya of Yuki's accident? Had it been a Sohma? Or did Ceres have an important part? 'Locking yourself in useless assumptions again?' Shaking himself from the daydream, Aki found himself back in familar settings with nothing changed. Glancing down at his wounds, the young man couldn't help wincing at the sight of so many purple-blue blotches going up and down his forearm. "A chance? I suppose I'll have a second chance to fix my tattered relationship with Aya...although gaining her trust will be hard work." He whispered sadly "And...I'm determined to set things right again." Aki added with stubborn determination leaking into his warm voice. Without warning, the blond-haired adolescent nearly jumped from the bed as the zodiac boar settled besides him. Restraining himself from acting out of instinct, the youth pulled in a ragged breath for muscles groaned in protest "Eh...could you warn me next time...before sitting down." Aki pointed out. Turning around to face the brown-haired female, he saw a change in her behavior. At first meeting she had been innocent, deceptive and deadly. Now Kagura acted with hospitality. What should he do? How should he react to her softening gaze? Brushing aside troubling thoughts, Aki allowed her to roll his torn-up sleeve till nasty gashes appeared in plain view. Eyes widening in sheer shock, he turned away for the mere glimpse at his own wounds brought about nausea. "Haru got me good...I don't blame him though." Prussian-colored orbs shut tightly, while he restrained himself from automatically pulling away. Agony coursed inside of Aki Mikage, but it was only natural. His wounds were many. Most still open from constant movements, although he was starting to feel slightly better with Kagura's medical attention. "Ouch! That hurts!" He grunted loudly, feeling bandages being pulled tightly around his worst cuts. "Goodness...what a day." Aki huffed softly "I don't know how to feel about this anymore." His anger had evaporated, leaving behind an unpleasant feeling of emptiness inside of him. 'Listen to Kagura's wise words. Don't be a cry baby...get tough and take the stand for your sister. She needs you now..more then ever.'

Cracked lips formed into a crooked smile "Hey! I'm not being a baby." The youth chuckled softly, his eyes registering another obvious change on her behavior. Raising another slender eyebrow in question, Aki shook his head in disbelief. This girl really fit the definition of dynamic...except for the last sentence escaping from her lips. Cheeks reddening, he cleared his throat nervously "What!? What do you mean take off my shirt!?" He questioned loudly, wrapping both arms around himself. Underneath his blood-stained t-shirt, Aki knew his bruises were worse..then the cuts Kagura had seen on his arms. 'You know..she might literally rip your shirt.' His mind warned. Sighing in defeat, the blond-haired boy shrugged off his blotched shirt to reveal heavier wounds inflicted straight upon his broken ribs. "Don't be so rough on me....several of my ribs..have been fractured." He pointed out, turning away to glance at several photographs hanging motionless from the wall. As far as anyone could tell, Aki did his best to hold back feelings of anguish and exhaustion from today's turmoils. 'Hello! My shirt was already messed up!' The young man yelled mentally at himself as blue-violet eyes swept over motionless pictures and straight towards his ruined school blazer. Extending tentative fingers out, he found himself rubbing stiffening fabric beneath his sensitive pads. The once starched shirt resembled nothing, but a rust-stained rag used in cleaning cars. Damage had been heavier to his torso, then Aki had wanted to believe. Although now that his mind traveled back to the battle with Haru, he saw mental images of the white-haired Sohma tossing him across dew-splattered grass. It had not only been hard impacts upon hard ground that caused ugly purple-black splotches to from, Haru's own fists claimed their visable mark on his frail human body. "Stupid. I was so stupid for attempting to battle again Haru." The blond-haired male spoke softly beneath his breath, attempting to hide his shame at being seen in such a horrid condition. He supposed all these marks could be worse. He could have been killed if Momiji hadn't interfered. 'If you died...would Aya cry?' Stupid question right? Of course, she would mourn for his sudden death. Aya maybe mad at him, but she certainly wasn't heartless. Swallowing harshly, the young man forced his attention to focus on Kagura's face "I owe Haru and Momiji an apology..." He spoke matter-of-factly "Although..confronting them face to face will prove quite a feat." Aki spoke out, tossing his soiled shirt towards the hamper located next to his computer desk.

::+::+::+::+::+::+::+::+::+::+::+::+::+::

{ "I can't believe Christmas is around the corner!" The blond-haired male exclaimed, bright indigo hues falling on several lush pine trees leaning against concrete slabs. "Anyway are we buying an artificial or a natural tree?" He asked his twin sister Aya as a trembling hand reached out to rub scented pine leaves. Gray-blue hues narrowed in concentration, the young woman stepped back to measure how high each individual tree stood in height. Glossy pink lips suddenly curved downwards in a grand smile "Let's go with a natural tree! After all...artificial trees lack scent." She chirped happily, leaning in to inhale the intoxicating scent of fresh pine. "I agree...just remember how much mother hates sweeping the floor." Aki reminded his over-zealous sister with a sullen expression "Well...we don't have to tell mom what kind of tree we're bringing home. It will be our secret...after all dad agreed to turn over a new leaf this year." He chuckled softly, hoping his last words would inject optimism into Aya's flat gaze. "Dad doesn't mind bringing in trees and decorations into the house, but you know mother has always influenced father's choices. However, I'm happy to finally break away from the every day routine. I want us to have Christmas together...just us in the house with our parents. Nothing else matters to me..except having my family reunited together." The blond-haired female offered a crooked smile filled with mischief "Despite....spending holiday's together..I feel like something is missing in my life." She added to her sentence, placing a hand over her beating heart. "I don't understand. What are you missing? Look we have friends, family, good economic situation and good education." Aki mumbled softly, locking questioning blue-violet eyes against Aya's clear ones. What was going on with her? Why did she feel incomplete? "I'm not certain the answer exists in my mind." Aya replied at last, averting orbs to an attractive-looking Christmas tree at the end of the lot. Pushing aside their meaningless conversation, the blond-haired female pointed towards the North "Hey look! That pine tree is the best one!" She cried out to Aki and her father. } Memories. Precious memories rising from an unknown part in Aya's mind. Why? Why would warm dreams occur right after a violent confrontation with Aki? 'I don't understand. Are you the one doing this Ceres?' The blond-haired female questioned telepathically.

'I have nothing to do with your dreams.' The Celestial Maiden answered, fierce gold-brown hues falling squarely on her descendant 'I sense many conflicting feelings eating away at your very soul. Apparently...you don't see the value in yourself...just like Yuki Sohma. You two are trapped in a vicious cycle by your own insecurities. Aya what you just did for the silver-haired Sohma is an amazing feat in itself. Not many Heavenly Maidens are willing to heal mortal humans...despite Yuki's curse...he is still human. A human with a gentle-heart who doesn't deserve to suffer.' She whispered softly, keen orbs flickering towards Yuki Sohma's motionless frame. Judging from his still position, the zodiac rat appeared calm on the outside. Except, his inner feelings were in turmoil as a result of the injuries Akito inflicted on him. What did the zodiac leader tell him? What did the female do to leave him literally speechless? 'Ceres...I don't know. I simply don't know..why I behave..the way I do. Inborn instincts could be the answer.' The blond-haired female stammered inwardly, while on the outside blue-gray hues moved slowly from corner to corner. Exhausted beyond rational thought, Aya closed her eyes to block out the gloomy room. So, much for being a medical ward. The hospitals back in Okinawa were bigger and brighter, then this simple room. Larger windows to let in more sunlight, friendly people who would come in every morning to visit their ailing patients. That was the large difference in between both places. 'Nothing is perfect right? Sometimes the answers lie right before my very eyes...yet..I'm blind to admit it.' Swallowing hard, the blond-haired female pulled thin blankets around her stiffening frame. Driving away all the bothersome memories from mind, Aya's eyes opened again to let drab scenery fill her senses. And so what if the room wasn't perfect? So what if nurses didn't exist in this household? Was it necessary to have luxary? Was it necessary to lament past events? Did she have to feel guilty? Questions plagued her mind, but none offered a way of being answered. Why? 'I doubt many girls would have endured...what I've seen and felt. I wonder if all those girls at school claiming to adore Yuki would stand one night seeing him in this condition. Would they be able to see their 'prince' as normal? Would they be able to love him....if they knew he was cursed?' It took one cursed individual to understand another. To place oneself in another shoes would be the only method of understanding the Sohma Family whole-heartedly. But even she...did not know what was occurring outside the medical room. All Aya cared about, was seeing how well her healing powers worked on Yuki Sohma's worst injuries.

"People like that are rare you know, and you took her for granted." Kagura told him as she listened to him. Aya, She was a strange girl, they had had a normal childhood, maybe, but few people would of turned out as she had in her situation. With a mother who acted as Aki had within the last 24 hours. She grimed a bit at the thought turning to look at Aki. "Your mother... she reminds our whole family of someone we all know." She told him, looking away to look at the wall in thought. "I don't care what you say, that's no excuse. It doesn't matter to me, or doesn't matter to Aya if you learned it, you shouldn't let it rub off on you. In the end it's your choice if you fall prey to your emotions. You you think Aya has ever wanted to act out of instinct?" She asked him giving him a moment to ponder it. Of course she had, they all had. Look at Haru, at Kyo and even herself. They were all a prey to emotions, and they didn't act as Aki had today. "Yes Aki, even she has," She assured him before continuing. "But she doesn't." Believe it or not a larger part of why she doesn't is probably because of you. She added to herself. When someone fought to retain a part of themselves in a twisted world it was usually for someone, someone they cared about and didn't want to loose. Is that why Akito and their mother lost themselves? Did they have nothing to keep them true to themselves? Were they holding onto something that made them become someone else? Kagura didn't know their mother, but she knew Akito. She couldn't see Akito any other way, because she had never been any other way. Someone who acted as a human with compassion wouldn't be Akito in her mind, and maybe that was the point. Kagura gave him a harsh look at his protests, "Aki, you know your sister better than anyone, I've only just met her today, known of her for a week or so and i know the answer to that question. You know she was worried, you just don't want to admit you couldn't see it in your rage." She told him, watching him. Aya was a bit like Tohru, only with a lot more firepower than the clumsy girl. Once you net them you knew they would always be concerned about those around them, especially those close. She knew he knew it too, his surprise had come only out of shame for doubting her.

"We know you did physically or you wouldn't of asked your question right now. You know the answer because of your experience with her talking, it's not because you felt it. However it's the emotional connection that forced the connection closed, even though Aya left it wide open." She told him, watching him. This must of been the Aki that Aya had come running for, only to find his hand inches from her face. She imagined the damage that his fist could of caused, what would of happened if he had been in better condition. Would she of been able to get all the way over there in time and in a position to stop him at full strength? Probably, but she wasn't completely convinced, not that it mattered now. In truth he was lucky, lucky to have Aya as a sister. Sure he would have to prove himself but it wouldn't take as much as he thought. Aya wanted to forget it and forgive him. If he was himself, and told her the truth she would forgive him she was sure of it. Like Tohru would... She added mentally. Yes, they were similar, and she knew about both of them to know that much. "Then take it like a man, you wanted to know and now you do. You can't pick what parts you want to know and what you don't. You did to much to know half of the truth. You've become part of Aya's curse in your own way, what are you going to do now? Ignore your sister?" She asked him, again challenging him, challenging him to challenge himself, he was the only one that could keep him in check and make these decisions for himself. At his mention of Yuki Kagura lost composure for a moment. She didn't mean to give him a sign, she wasn't ready to tell him about Yuki, how serious it was and it was more than a fall down the stairs. She felt her heart bounding as she thought of Yuki now, same as he had been, and though many years had passed there was nothing different between this time and last time. She tried to regain her composure as she laughed. "And to think you did all of this because your sister was worried about someone." She told him, her words slightly more harsh than she meant them to be, shaken slightly thinking of Yuki. Why was she shaken how after all of this? Maybe it's because it had come out of Aki's moth after such an incident.

Or maybe she wanted to protect him? He already felt bad knowing he had used his lifeful and joyful sister as a scapegoat for his anger. What would he do when he knew he had done it for the sake of a lonely and abused Yuki? Or maybe hearing it unprepared had surprised her. Maybe both? She asked herself, dismissing it as she bandaged his arm, listening to the boy. It was a conversation she had no place him, his decision to do the right thing, it was something only he could decide. "Then do it Aki." She told him. "Do it with everything you have and she'll forgive you, i know it." She told him winking at him with a smile. "Trust me, i know someone a lot like her, and she'll forgive you if you ask it of her, and mean it with her whole heart." She comforted him. If he didn't mean it with his whole heart Aya would know and wouldn't forgive him, that's all there was to it. "Now, I don't want to hear any more about this, I hear enough whining and mopping from Kyo and Shigure..." Kagura laughed as she waved off his complaints, "Oh you are too being a baby, so stop whining, I known a certain orange haired male that walked a mile with a fractured leg, and he still didn't complain..." She told him, "Though he did remind us several times..." She muttered the last part to herself as she remembered Kyo refusing to admit his lag had been broken in front of Yuki. Kagura shook her head, "Geez, I'm wondering more and more how you survived, you're weak and love to complaining." She told him, though it seemed to be an insult she spoke in a cheery tone, no longer hospitable just, carefree. It was an impossible to imaging a person carefree after what had just happened, but if there's one thing Kagura was good at it was putting a smile on her face, and hiding any emotions if she wanted to. After all, things were much more pleasant like this as far as she was concerned. She rolled her eyes at Aki. "What do you think I mean? Take that rag off your chest so i can bandage it." She told him, snipping the scissors at him, which was less than comforting. "Unless you want me to do it for you?' She asked him, watching him with a satisfied expression as he took his shirt off.

"Took you long enough, I thought i was going to have to tear it off." She told him as she walked up, easily taking the wrapping off he had had on before and pulling out the bandages again, "Fractured, huh? I'm afraid there's no painless way to fix that, but i'll see what I can do. I don't want to hear a complaint ever other second though." She warned him as she told him, staring at him for a moment before she started wrapping, starting at the bottom of his chest and working her way up, running bandages up and over his shoulder to brace his ribs. He was going to have a couple permanent scars from what she saw and the bruises around his ribs would be there for a while. She paused, putting her hand above a bruise that looked like a foot print. "You have delicate skin don't you?" She asked him before continuing, covering the bottom of it with gauze and pulling it tight. "I guess I forgot not everyone is like Kyo." She laughed to himself as she thought about how many times he had gotten thrown, many of them done by her, and not gotten a bruise. At least not one that she had seen... maybe she should check next time? A smile spread over her face as the thought as she pulled the bandages with a final tug, cutting it and clipping it into place. She stood up, brushing her hands off as she put her stuff away, turning to look at him again. "That should be good for now, you'll have to change the bandages eventually but if you change them to much it interrupts the healing." She told him with a smile as she pulled her bag back over her shoulder, walking over to the other side of the room and picking up the half finished bracelet that she had dropped in the process of the fight. "If you need me... i'm usually at the dojo a couple blocks from the school every day after school!" She told him, making it clear that she was leaving without much warning. She winked at Aki, "You know what you have to do, make it right... Aya could use some hope right now." She told him with a smile before disappearing out of the doorway.

☜♥☞ º°”˜`”°º☜♥☞ º°”˜`”°º☜♥☞

Hatori glanced over his shoulder as he glanced back at Akito and Kureno, Kureno giving him a reassuring nod before Hatori closed the door behind him, as he exited he saw a couple servants waiting, having heard the commotion and coming in case they were needed. Hatori waved them off, "Everything is ok." He assured them, watching them walk away and out of sight leaving Hatori once again alone in the hallway. Hatori put his hands into his pockets, looking down at his feet. what am I doing? He asked himself in frustration, but the answer was simple. He was doing the same thing he had always done. He glanced back at the closed door, Akito... He thought to himself, so many emotions sparking at the name. Pity and regret, Sympathy and anger she played them, she played them all and he knew it. She used what she could, but when it came down to it she didn't see any of them as people, except for maybe Shigure. The rest of them were simply pawns, pawns to a dilutional girl who may never make it to womanhood. Hatori closed his eyes for a moment before turning, making his way down the maze of halls. Sometimes he wondered who was pitied more, the cat or the God. For all of the newer generation the answer was simple, the cat existed for the rest of the zodiac to pity. He was someone they could look at and knew that they had it better. Was god much better? He wasn't sure even Akito knew who she was or why she was here. The only thing keeping her here were the spirits that possessed them all. An image of Kana flashed across his eyes, blood falling onto the floor while Aktio screamed at him. Out of an urge of instinct Hatori spun, sending his fist flying into the wall hard. A solid thud sounded on the wall as he stood there for a moment his head resting on the wall. What was getting into him? He knew this was coming, he had a feeling even Yuki had. No, he knew Yuki had since the first time he had transformed in front of her.

This was the way things were, and would always be for them. Suddenly he heard the sound of running footsteps as Hatori stood up, putting his hands back into the pockt as a girl came rushing around the corner, Hatori looking up to see the same girl from earlier. "Is everything ok sir?" She asked him. "Everything is as normal." He told her, not quite answering the questions as she gave him an uncertain look but quickly dismissing herself as the conversation seemed to be over. Hatori shook his head, he was getting soft again, just like before... There was once a time when he hadn't thought twice, when winter had reigned in his heart, a time before the spring. Since than things had changed, winter had returned, but the earth was never the same once getting a taste of the warm thaw in the spring. All these people: Kana, Tohru and Aya. There was nothing good that could come of it. Caring wasn't going to change his situation, their situation. Hatori stopped as he reached his destination, looking at the door for a long second, It's time Aya worry about her own curse... He tried to reassure himself as he thought about Shigure's earlier call, looks like he wasn't going to make it until a later tonight. Hatori sighed, opening the door to Yuki's room and entering. Across the room Aya was sitting beside the bed, blanket wrapped around her. He closed the door behind him as he stepped forward, walking to the opposite side of the bed Aya was, glancing down at Yuki. Was it just the dim lighting or were Yuki's wounds better than they had been when he left a few minutes ago. Hatori glanced at Aya again, as if sensing something had happened. Did she have to do with this? He asked himself, though he knew enough to know she probably had. He looked back up at Aya, his eyes emotionless as he sat down on the stool beside the bed.

It was to bad Yuki had to hear this, asleep or not his mind was still more of aware of things that concerned him than Hatori would of liked. "Aya, It's been a long day, and a lot has happened..." He said softly as to not wake Yuki, last thing he needed was a conscious Yuki while he was talking to Aya. "Why don't you go home, get some rest and let Yuki sleep, He'll be here tomorrow for you to see." He told her, standing up and motioning to the door, holding with his suggestion. Almost off offhandedly as he moved to the door he turned to look at her. "I have some things i want to talk to you about though, with everything going on." He told her casually, "Next time you come to see Yuki would you mind stopping into see me? I just want to get some things clear." He told her, Clear this place from your memories, leave you with one less curse to worry about.. He thought to himself as he glanced at her. It was wrong to deceive her maybe but she wasn't coming another way, that part he was pretty sure about. "And just so you know, some of the Sohmas have strange thoughts about the main house, so it would be better not to mention it and worry them over something little." He told her holding the door open for her. He waited for her to walk past him, glancing at Yuki with an unreadable expression. I'm sorry Yuki, but you knew this was coming, i hope you can pull yourself out of it... He told him, Sure he had Tohru which Akito wasn't thinking about, but Tohru was different and he knew it. Aya was different from anyone Yuki knew, or hand known. She was different than his friends so many years ago... He closed his eyes, turning away as he followed her out into the hall.

.Tell me..What do they see. When they look at me? .Do they see my many personalities.ღ

The blond-haired male sat motionlessly on the rumpled bed-sheets, head cocked intently to the side as he listened to Kagura's harsh words. Flickering indigo hues instinctively to the opposite side of the room, Aki turned his head to gaze at family portraits lined neatly against his mahogany-colored computer desk, precious memories seemed to peer back at him from beyond the crystal barrier. Memories that happened once in a life time. Memories that only the heart could understand. Biting his lower lip in shame, the young adolescent couldn't help nodding his head in complete agreement "Shameful isn't it?" He questioned softly, reaching outwardly to grab a small medallion Aya had gifted him on Christmas Eve. Slender fingers ran over burnt lines etched into the fine gold chain, his own flesh and blood had painstakingly ordered with her own saving account. How thoughtful right? Or wasteful if seen from another point of view. 'That medallion in your hand remember how you begged mom and dad to buy it for your fourteenth birthday? Father promised to buy it...but mother said no at the last minute. I broke down crying because that gold chain would slip out of my grasp forever...and the last person you excepted to intercede was Aya Mikage. Your own sibling gave you that chain as a Christmas present...yet everything ever received was taken for granted right? Even...sisters can be replaced...can't they?' The tiny voice of reason rose from the depths to challenge his dying anger. Lips thinned into a slender line, Aki replaced the gold chain back in it's proper place beneath protective plastic. Drawing his hand back, the youth parted lips to speak lowly "Yes...absolutely shameful." He muttered, answering his own question from earlier "I'm so used to having Aya by my side...that I've taken her for granted. I guess..even family members can't be held onto forever." Pausing in mid-sentence, the adolescent tilted his head skywards to stare at white-washed ceilings devoid of any decorations. Deserted. Absolutely deserted, The only item sparing his roof from utter gloom was a single iron-guided ceiling fan suspended from above. Perhaps, his fate would be similar to a speck of dirt. Unseen. Left to stick in one single area without ever being disturbed. Or maybe thrown aside, like he had done to Aya in her hour of need. How could Aki be so brutal towards her? Entwining trembling fingers together, he averted violet-blue hues to stare at the ground in deep shame "Heh..my mother isn't the easiest person to get along with." He agreed, moving orbs sideways to gaze at Kagura with an inquisitive light dancing in his vision. Really? Did the Sohma's have someone similar to his mother in attitude? Judging from the grimace on the girl's face, it was clear to see she suffered beneath the same reign.

"I know my excuse for acting the way I did isn't valid....but hey..I never asked to be brought up with an overly-bearing mother." Aki stated bluntly "Of course...I'm old enough to know..how to control my actions...yet it's hard controlling oneself...when that is all I've ever known." Snapping into complete silence, the youth wallowed in Kagura's words for a few minutes. Aya Mikage's kind temperament...did that stem to protect him? Did she do it for his sake? Pushing away the questions, Aki looked away as the brown-haired female threw him a harsh look "I know. Aya's facial expression said it all..when she saw me in this condition." He whispered, flashing back to previous events. 'Running. She came running to you for comfort and warmth. What would have happened to her..if that fist had collided against delicate bones? Did you ever stop to ponder the consequences?' Of course he hadn't even stopped once to run over the possibilities. Right now, his relative could be hospitalized with severe fractures to the jaw bone if his doubled hand had connected with Aya's cheek. Wincing mentally at the vivid image dancing in his mind, the young man re-focused attention on Kagura Sohma "Closed emotion connections...was partially to blame for today's incident." He said, gingerly studying his bandaged forearm. Would Kagura have been able to stop him in good condition? What about the strange woman residing inside Aya? Could he have tackled Ceres to the ground? 'The only person holding me back from destroying you this instant...is Aya. If she weren't detaining me...I'd burn you to mere ashes.' Cold. The words in his head sounded like the real voice from earlier. The woman with burning gold eyes and pitch-black hair rose to instill a slight amount of fear in him. Why? Why should Aki fear his own grand-mother? Was her murderous expression to blame? Doubling both hands into trembling fists, the youth gritted his teeth in sheer frustration "Ignore Aya? Why...the hell would I push my own flesh and blood out of the family circle? Just..because she's a Tennyo?" He didn't answer Kagura's question, because there was no use arguing with the brown-haired female. Although, a good search of his memory contradicted his own structured sentence. 'Impossible...my sister being other..then human. Absurd...Aya is a regular girl.' Aki shook his head in complete disagreement. Aya was anything, but normal. She had proven to be a female filled with many surprises, as well as fire power. 'Even with damaging powers..she still retains a placid attitude.' Waving aside random thoughts, he turned rather abruptly to face Kagura with widening hues "Aya-Chan...worried for someone's welfare and...here I was assuming something else." Aki cut himself off, unable to continue for his heart began to ache in his chest.

'Have you seen the error of your ways? Do you realize jumping quickly and making conclusions...can end up in grave misunderstandings?' Ironic right? Very ironic to be lamenting past events, when he should have paused to analyze his actions. How could Aki Mikage be so careless? How could he let meaningless emotions go rampant? Wasn't he old enough to control himself? Wasn't he responsible of picking his own path, instead of choosing Mitsuki's famous methods of punishment? Did his mother hold power over him? No. He was sixteen years old already. He knew right from wrong and no matter how his mother acted, Aki refused to follow in her footsteps. 'But you have already chosen to walk the same path of destruction. As Kagura stated earlier...family excuses aren't the real reason why you acted like an animal Aki Mikage.' Shaking his head slightly, the adolescent gazed sideways at the silent zodiac boar. Why had she gotten quiet all of the sudden? Did the girl know something he didn't? Were Yuki Sohma's wounds worse...then he thought? Swallowing harshly, Aki parted cracked lips to ask her...but instead found himself nodding silently in agreement. A baby? How was he being a baby? Of course complaining from body aches counted, yet at the same time it was his own fault for rushing into battle without being properly prepared. "Alright! Alright!" He exclaimed in exasperation, holding both hands up in defeat "I'll stop complaining..if you cease insulting me as well!" Aki grunted, shoving all his current ailments into a dusty corner. Furrowing one sandy blond eyebrow in question, the young man stared at Kagura in sheer disbelief. She still had the nerve to insult him? Even after asking her nicely to stop? Shaking his head in disappointment, Aki decided to ignore the woman's carefree attitude. How could this girl insult and act as if nothing happened? What did Kagura do to preserve her feelings underneath an inescapable barrier? How could the zodiac boar treat his wounds this calmly, after all that happened? Could it be martial arts training in motion? His mental questions were interrupted abruptly by, the female mentioning his grass-stained school shirt. Blinking indigo hues several times in disbelief, he couldn't help moving automatically away from the snipping scissors "Hey! Watch where you point those scissors!" Aki stammered nervously, trembling hands reached downwards to grab the hem of his t-shirt. With one quick motion, the blond-haired male took off his soiled shirt for Kagura to bandage his torso "Eh...I can do it myself....plus...this shirt can still be saved."

Aki lowered his head to inspect the blood-stained shirt hanging motionlessly in his grasp, violet-blue hues could make out several faint shoe marks imprinted into the dirty white fabric. Swallowing a lump in his throat, the young man quickly tossed his shirt into the laundry hamper to be washed later on with every other article of clothing lying in disarray. 'Shoe marks...made from Hatsuharu stepping on me.' Closing eyes automatically, he could feel his ribs beginning to ache from the sheer image of seeing Haru Sohma stepping on him without mercy. "Either way..my school uniform is already ruined...so there is no need to tear my shirt off." The youth answered finally, opening glinting hues to see his own make-shift bandages being torn off by Kagura's skilled hands. Doing his best not to flinch or whimper in protest, he immediately turned his attention towards the nearest wall and began counting to one-thousand in his mind. 'This is going to hurt...like hell.' Pulling several ragged breaths in, Aki nodded merely to her words "I won't complain...I promise." He reassured with a small chuckle escaping his throat. Craning his head sideways to relieve pressure of his shoulder, the blond-haired male allowed Kagura Sohma to begin wrapping medical bandages from his lower chest, towards his shoulders and around his shattered ribs to promote stability and encourage natural healing to fractured bones. Would he still need to see a doctor? Did he have internal bleeding? Aki hissed silently in anguish, shoving aside his assumptions for bleeding internally had not happened luckily for him."U..unfortunately...delicate skin runs in the family." He confessed, lowering his gazed to look at several ugly bruises peering through the snowy-white gauze. 'I'll have many scars on my back to remind me of this day. Hopefully this experience...will serve me as a life lesson.' Life lesson of course. The adolescent male had been fortunate to escape from his fight with fractured ribs, bruised skin and a dis-inflated ego. If he had been experienced in martial arts, could the fight have ended up differently? Perhaps...it would have ended up in disaster for both males. 'Maybe..but I don't want to think of that now.' Tossing dirt on his uneasy feelings, Aki took mental note to change his dressings three days from now in order to allow his body to heal naturally, "Thank you..Kagura..." He thanked her with a bright smile etched across cracked lips, before watching the brown-haired female disappear from sight. Uttering a small sigh, the young man settled down on wrinkled bed sheets to sleep for the evening. "I will do whatever..it takes to redeem myself in Aya's eyes." Hopefully he would be able to fullfil his role as brother to an ailing sister in need of hope.

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What happened to the real Aki Mikage? What happened to change warm indigo hues into seething balls of uncontrollable rage? What had Aya done to deserve his wrath? Tossing back a few strands of wavy-blond hair from her face, the young woman closed gray-blue orbs in concentration 'Why? Why did he try to hit me?' Confused questions clouded every available space within Aya's mind, although no logical reasons or solutions could be found to account for Aki's short temper. 'Ever heard of violence for control?' Ceres whispered telepathically to her younger host 'I have a feeling Aki's wounds were the result of trying to force information out of someone....although his plans for dominance seemed to have back-fired on him. His opponent must have been strong enough to hold his own against your brother...and because of his apparent defeat...Aki tried turning you into his next victim. Ignorance of the unknown....fueled...the boy's rage from the start.' She explained bluntly, knowing her harsh words would cause the blond-haired female unnecessary anguish. "I'm sorry...I wish my words weren't harsh...but that is the truth of the situation." The Celestial Maiden muttered, falling momentarily silent to allow each individual word to be processed through Aya's exhausted mind. Tightening both hands into clenched fists, the young woman shook her head in utter disbelief. Anger caused from ignorance? Was that even possible? What about Ceres' feelings over Aki's possible wounds? 'Of course...it's possible.' The blond-haired female mused silently, letting herself lean further into the leather chair positioned opposite Yuki Sohma's bed 'Mother always taught Aki to judge strange events as mere occurrences. She was the one who instilled violence upon us.' She spoke mentally to herself, flashing back to a moment engraved forever in her subconscious. 'I remember coming home one day from a party...and having mother slap me across the face for coming home 2 hours late. Violence causing fear...no wonder...my brother lost control.' Still Aki Mikage had no right to raise his hand at her. He had absolutely no right to demand explanations, when he was the one acting irrational to her words. Pulling in a ragged breath, Aya focused blue hues on Yuki's Sohma's sleeping figure. 'Brutality has been a trait running through the Mikage Family.' The Tennyo nodded sadly 'I suffered for many years under violence until he dropped out of my life forever...your entire family line has experienced some type of brutal punishment...and yet...' Golden brown orbs fell squarely on the silver-haired Sohma 'Yuki paid for his disobedience in blood. Both sides of the family use violence for control.' Ceres scoffed, unable to comprehend how Akito could inflict horrible physical and emotional damage on a kind-hearted boy.

'Nice to know our family has built itself on top of violence and bloodshed.' The young woman replied, relaxing tense fingers after a brief struggle with her emotions. 'For now let me rest here in peace. Let me think about what has happened so far in my life...I want to make the right decisions.' Positioning herself comfortably into the leather chair, Aya allowed slender fingers to roam across course feeling fabric. The blankets weren't exactly soft enough to sleep in properly, but she would be able to manage on her own till morning. 'Dawn seems faraway...I just hope my Celestial powers were strong enough to at least seal some of Yuki's worst wounds.' Glinting sapphire hues closed instinctively, as the desire to sleep began pushing Aya Mikage into the realm of oblivion. 'Although slumer seems like a good option I should stay alert for any sudden movements.' Stretching out senses, the blond-haired female fell into a light stupor, with pleasant images of less violent days replaying in her mind like a Hollywood movie. Faint echoes and the sudden sound of a knob being turned alerted Ceres to a familar presence standing behind the wooden door. 'Could it be?' The Celestial Maiden questioned uncertainly, forcing senses outwards 'Hatori Sohma.' Her mind whispered, already knowing the older Sohma male represented a threat to Aya Mikage and herself. 'Momiji told me...this man is responsible for erasing his mother's memories. I wonder...if he would do..the same to my descendant.' Gathering energy, the raven-haired female called out to her sleeping host 'Wake up!' Groaning softly, the young woman tried blocking out Ceres' voice to no avail. Urgent feelings prompted Aya to flicker blue-gray open in time to see the door swinging wide open. Straightening herself into an upright position, the blond-haired female stiffened slightly in her seat. Who was it? Was it a nurse? Was it Hatori Sohma? What if it was Akito? Shaking her head at the last possibility, the female relaxed as Hatori's face came into view. 'You woke me for this?' Aya scolded the Tennyo mentally, although her attention focused on Hatori's predatory eyes. He seemed to be inspecting Yuki's wounds beneath the dim lights in the medical ward. Did he suspect something? Would Hatori know who was responsible for partially healing the rat's wounds? 'I'm being watched.' Feeling prickles running up and down her spinal cord, the blond-haired female glanced upward to meet Hatori's emotionless eyes. Freezing right on the spot, Aya found herself unable to move or even react as the dark-haired male took a seat next to the bed.

'What's wrong Aya? Do you need me to take over?' The obsidian-haired Tennyo inquired, narrowing honey-colored orbs suspiciously in Hatori's direction. What did the man want? Was he here to make Aya even more miserable? Ceres prepared herself to transform. but stopped as the blond-haired female screamed out mentally 'Don't you dare take over without my permission.' She snapped in exasperation 'Transforming here would only frighten poor Yuki from his sleep. The last thing you and I need is to have the boy ripping his wounds open because of your ignorance. And what about Hatori? I don't see him threatening me in any shape or form. Perhaps...he has important news.' Pulling in a ragged breath, the young woman attempted to hold down an emotionally charged Celestial Tennin. 'I do not trust this man!' She sneered furiously, fighting back against Aya's restraining barrier 'Whether you chose to believe me or ignore my advice is up to you...Aya. This man. This so called Hatori Sohma doesn't sit well with me. Be careful around him....emotionless males tend to have nasty surprises hidden in their sleeves.' The raven-haired female warned, finally settling down after a brief struggle for control of Aya's physical body 'Don't say later...that I didn't warn you.' Leaving behind a set of cold words to ponder upon, the tenshi vanished into her host's imagination, lingering on the fringes between reality and fantasy. Shoulder's sagging in relief, the blond-haired adolescent heard Hatori speaking in a soft voice designed to keep the zodiac rat from waking up. Moving her gaze from Yuki to the older Sohma male, she nodded in agreement to his statement "I suppose...I do feel a little worn down." Aya replied, standing up at the same time Hatori did. Watching the blank doctor intently with glinting azure hues, the young woman saw him gesturing towards the opening wooden door. 'Is he kicking me out? Did I do something to incite his anger? Or is he perturbed by Ceres attempting to slaughter Akito?' Why did Hatori act strangely? His attitude wasn't exactly inviting as it had been previously. Something terrlbe must have happened to make him act stoic towards her. But what could it be? Shoving away the questions, Aya hesitated momentarily at the doorway, pausing in mid-stride...she allowed herself one last yearning glance at the resting silver-haired male. 'Yuki...' Unfreezing herself from the spot, the blond-haired female parted glossy lips to speak softly "I planned on visiting Yuki...the day after tomorrow anyway..so.. I'll be certain to stop by your office." She answered uneasily, somehow hating the cracked tone leaking into her voice "Don't fret...I will keep my mouth sealed. After all...the Sohma's have enough problems on their plate and they don't deserve to have more burdens brought upon them. Adios..Mr. Sohma." Bowing down in a polite manner, Aya Mikage then hurried out of the main house with tears beginning to form.

"Why? Why is everyone acting cold towards me?" The blond-haired female questioned softly, extending both hands outwards in defeat "My own family wants me dead, Yuki's lying wounded at the main house...my last salvation was Aki...and he too...tried hitting me. Who do I turn to now?" She stammered in mid-sentence fighting back tears. 'Turn into me.' Ceres whispered 'I have always been here in the shadows. Waiting patiently for those who seek my help. Release me. Release the inner you.' The Tennin chanted over and over again, taking advantage of Aya's devastated heart to gain the upper advantage in a fight for control. Clenching both hands into tight fists, the blond-haired female fell on hands and knees "No. I will not give in to you." She hissed, digging finger nails into the cold concrete "Turning into you...only brings misfortune. What kind of angel are you?" Aya asked savagely "Are you the type of parasite to take advantage of weak hearts? Hell...no wonder the Mikage want...me dead...I'm the reincarnation of a devil." She hurled damaging words to the shocked Celestial Maiden, who quickly retaliated with her own set of weapons 'Foolish girl! Do you think mere words will hurt me? I've been rubbed to the point where I no longer bleed. I no longer feel this emotion you humans call pain and love. Plus...the one who brought misfortune upon the Sohma Family was none other...then yourself. You chose to befriend Yuki Sohma. You even fell in love with him...so whose fault is that?' Ceres hissed 'I made a promise to heal Yuki's cousins...but I'm sure..they can do just fine with those terrible bruises engraved into their skin. I'm sure....they'll be happy to know..that you don't care.' At the mention of not caring, Aya stumbled into a standing position on wobbly knees that seemed to protest against rough actions. "I care." She snarled, beginning to walk towards Shigure's house instinctively "Ceres....I won't let your promise fall through....and I won't let anyone tell me how I should feel." Breaking into a head-long gallop down empty streets, the blond-haired female found herself standing in front of unfamiliar territory. 'Why do I feel quite awkward coming here?' She didn't remember coming to the Sohma house, but the angel certainly remembered. 'Open the door already.' Ceres urged, ushering her host to hurry towards the parchment paper separating outside from inside. Sighing in frustration, Aya walked up the steps and onto the wooden porch with uneasiness beginning to bloom in her chest. Pulling in a calming breath, the adolescent female reached out to pull the door open "Hello?! Sorry for the intrusion...again." She added softly at the end "Ceres became quite persistent...and I came here to calm her down." Aya explained, hoping the Sohma's wouldn't be disturbed with her sudden presence.

OCC: Sorry! Sorry! For the delay. Decided to have Aya/Ceres pop up at the Shigure's place rather then in the morning. Would be more interesting for her to sleep over e.t.c.

Kagura watched him, eyes narrowed slightly, she wasn't sure about shameful, but it was enough that anyone who heard would feel the ache in his heart of what he had lost. Hadn't everyone felt loss? "You made a mistake." She said simply as she listened to him. Yes he had made a mistake, but it wasn't a mistake that had to cost him the rest of his life. What about Akito? If he changed would he be forgiven? Kagura closed her eyes, images flying past her eyes, images only for her. Would they be able to forgive him? She would like to say yes, that it was possible for him to change, and they could just all live in harmony. Deep in her heart though she wasn't sure, it wasn't that simple...not after everything that everyone had been through. Aki's words snaked through her head as he spoke them, 'I guess..even family members can't be held onto forever.' Kagura laughed to herself, as if sharing a private joke as she opened her eyes to look at Aki. "Can't they?" She muttered softly under her breath for only her to hear. She sighed, "Blood does not hold people together forever." She told him, repeating his words to confirm the statement, yet not flat out agreeing with it. There was a reason, but not one that she was going to share with him. For not being able to hold a family forever Akito was sure doing a good job. How long had the zodiac existed? They had existed longer than that... would they be together forever? She shuddered slightly at the thought, turning back to look at Aki. He's not like us... for a normal family he would be right, wouldn't he? She sighed, Yes they were different, they were still together, but they had also lost much of what made a family a family. Compassion, understanding, stability... we have none of that... She thought to herself with a sigh, shaking her head. She glanced at him as his voice caught her attention, Kagura resurfacing from her thoughts. "Not everyone is..." She said softly as she turned back to the situation at hand. Kagura narrowed her eyes at his come-back. She gave him a harsh glare. She knew that how you were brought up changed a person, but hadn't Aya grew up with the same mother? Had she ever wanted to lash out at her brother? She took a slow breath as she felt tension growing in her limbs.

"Aki, there have been more people than your mother in your life. I don't care what you say, you and only you gave into those emotions. You caused this and no one else, your mother is responsible for her actions and hers alone. Someday it will come back on her, but you are not her. Look around you? Does every child turn into their parents? They don't because they make their own choices, and you made yours to turn your back on your family." She told him, she didn't mean to sound harsh, to make him feel worse all over again, but every persons actions effected them around them. each person decided how they wanted to effect people around them, and it doesn't matter why. It annoyed her that he was trying to blame his mother for his faults. Did she help? Certainly not, but she hadn't hurt as much as Aki thought she had, a fair amount of it had been him. "Don't forget her expression Aki, you'll see that expression a lot more if you continue to hurt her instead of protect her like you should be doing." She told him as she watched him, wondering partially what he was thinking, but on the other hand not wanting to know. She was getting involved in their problems when they had enough of their own. "You closed emotional connection to your family was the result, lack of feeling for your family, the reason is only you." She told him, her eyes hard, little did he know that his conversation was driving close to home, a wrong word and he might truly get on her bad side. Her body seemed to freeze at his disbelief at her statement. "Aki, blood doesn't hold a family together forever." She said, her voice suddenly hard and strained. 'Why...the hell would I push my own flesh and blood out of the family circle?' His sentence echoed in her head, followed by another word. Kyo... She thought, imagining him locked away from civilization just because he was that cat. Because his other form was a monster. Why indeed, "Your disbelief has caused enough trouble so far, don't think it doesn't happen. Your family tried to kill your sister, families... they they WILL push people out of their circles, whether the reasons are valid or not." She told him, leaving him to dwell on her words, pushing her thoughts away from where they had seemed to drift. She had been worried, he had freaked out, and caused all of this because she was worrying about the broken rat.

Kagura looked back at him, all tension seeming to dissolve from her body. "My, you setting conditions now?" She asked him playfully, tilting her head, her scissors still held in front of his face. "What do you think i'm going to cut you?" She asked him in almost an insulted tone. She she did though she let the bottom handle of the scissors go, the razors flying apart only centimeters from his face. "If i'd wanted to do damage, i would of done it already." She rolled her eyes as if the idea were absurd. She pulled the scissors back, watching him remove his shirt with a smirk. "That's more like it...I thought i was going to have to cut them off of you." She told him, snipping the scissors in her hand again as she raised an eyebrow at his suggestion, glancing again at the shirt. She wasn't as confident as him that his shirt could be saved, grass stains didn't tend to come out. She didn't say anything though, it wasn't his concern and if wanted to wear stained clothes to school that was his decision. She raised her eyebrow as he told her he wouldn't complain. "We'll see about that..." She muttered loud enough for him to hear as she started, she wasn't so convinced that this inexperienced, fragile skined boy could handle it, that's all. She wasn't rough on his wounds, but she certainly didn't spare any tugs or pressure she placed on the wounds. Honestly she wondered if it would be enough, usually they went to Hatori who took a look at them, would Hatori bandage it or would more of had to be done? She wasn't sure, sometimes he just bound their wounds, other times he had to do more bracing. Either way she wasn't a doctor so what he did afterwords was his decision, she was just helping for now. She stood back up and stretched as she finished. "There!" She smiled as she finished, pausing as she glanced at his destroyed shirt. After a second grabbing it on her way out. "I'm gong to throw this away for you." She smiled before disappearing from the doorway, not waiting for his reaction. No matter what he said the shirt was destroyed, hopefully he had a second one at any rate.

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Hatori watched Aya, she had been strong through all this, she had put up a good fight. She had been strong, gone through a lot from Yuki to Akito to her brother. She had done a lot, she had stood tall, through the wind and the rain...Through the snow? he added mentally, once again an image of a smiling Kana flashing though his mind. Even when he had pushed her away, after he had decided he didn't want to chance it she kept fight, kept coming back to him. like a wave that continuously beat on a rock, her warm breeze had come again and again until it had melted the snow. He closed his eyes, What are you thinking? This girl isn't Kana, but will meet the same fate. She will be able to smile again, or be closer with one less secret... He reminded himself as he looked back at Aya. "It's bad to over exert your body, it only weakens your body and makes you sick, you can't help anyone if your sick." He told her, His words were caring, but his tone was still guarded. Looking out for her welfare, while not wanting to get involved. "I just think Yuki could use as little distraction as possible to help him sleep... he's a bit of a light sleeper at times." He told her, once again a strange contradiction in his phrase. the words seemed to be speaking of of concern, But his tone was so guarded there was little expression in it. He nodded, "I would appreciate it..." He told her, his voice low voice, his eyes watching the wall outside the door, beyond the room and the pain he could feel building up in it. He glanced at Aya, she was in turmoil right now, and from the flashing in her eyes he would say he wasn't the only one involved. She was struggling.She whispered Yuki's name like it was all she had to hold onto... would it really be easier without him? She wouldn't have to worry as much, he wouldn't be in a hole as deep as she was now. She was looking at him for he last time before she left, holding onto the picture in her mind. If only you knew, that holding on isn't enough, it can all go away... He thought, would it be the last time? He shoved the idea from his head, as she turned away to face the outside. As she turned around to face the doorway and what laid next he saw the one thing he had been avoiding, he saw Yuki's eyes open slowly.

Somewhere from deep in his sleep, in his turmoil and night mares, he had heard Aya's voice, her call to him had drawn him out of his slumber. He was listening to her, every word as emotions seemed to spark, his eyes suddenly traveling to Hatori, in understanding. Regardless of where he was, if he were stuck in his childhood, or in his current state, he doubted he would be fooled by her words. I planned on visiting Yuki...the day after tomorrow anyway..I'll be certain to stop by your office....I will keep my mouth sealed. Sohma's have enough problems ...they don't deserve to have more burdens brought upon them. The words consciously entered Yuki's mind, something Hatori had been trying to avoid. He had tried to pull it out of the room, but Aya's reluctance had prevented it. Aya was lost in thought, wasn't paying enough attention to realize Hatoi's glance was off, traveling right behind her rather than at her, and with that Aya ran from the room, down the hallway and out of sight. Hatori's eyes never left Yuki though, knowing now was better than finding out after right? Wasn't it better to know, even if by accident instead of going up to her and realizing she didn't know him? Their eyes locked, and slowly a desperate emotion crept into Yuki's eyes, the same emotion he had seen so many years ago from a silver-haired child crying on his knee. "Yuki...I'm sorry..." Hatori told him softly, looking away and down the hallway Aya had disappeared down, after a second turning around to leave when something made his stop, freezing his feet into place. "Hatori...please..." The two words spoken by the mute rat behind him were soft, almost nothing more than a whisper of a wind. They were his first words, and could very well be his last for a long while. The whole room grew still, every sound painstakingly loud, and each moment unbearably long. Hatori tightened his grip on the door frame, looking down and off to the side before raising his eyes to look at Yuki over his shoulder. "I'm sorry Yuki... it's already been decided.." He said finally, his voice, no long guarded and wavering. He was sorry, and he meant it. He knew what it was like to lose someone you loved, he had done it with his own hands. It was better to know you couldn't control it rather than be the cause of it. "I'm sorry..." He repeated, leaving the room and closing the door behind him, his breath ragged. He closed his eyes, falling against the opposite wall, using it as a support as he tried to gain control of his emotions. No matter what he did though nothing seemed to work as he walked away from the room, back towards his office. It wasn't until he closed the door behind him that he fell into his chair, as if exhausted as he closed his eyes, You have no choice... A voice crossed his mind, but it wasn't his voice her heard rather...the cold voice of their god. Forgive me Yuki... Hatori breathed out slowly in defeat.

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"Damn it Shigure that hurts!" Kyo yelled at the older male as Shigure re-bandaged Kyo's arm, Kyo jerkig his arm away which only made the pain worse. "Oh Kyo... you're always such a drama queen, just let me finish." Shigure laughed as he pulled Kyo's arms back. "I can do it myself!" Kyo told him pulling his arm back, hissing in pain. "Well fine...I was just trying to help...after all Hatori said he isn't going to be here for a day at least so we have to do something about your wounds until then." Shigure told him. "Well Shigure..." Another velvety voice cut in. "You really can't be so rough on him, you know he's not used to it like you are..." "Damn it Ayame, you shut up too." Kyo told him as he jumped into a standing position to jump again from the long, silver-hared man that had come over to join them. However, Kyo's legs weren't ready for it and he quickly fell back onto the floor. "Kyo, you really should be jumping around..." Haru's calm voice rang from across the room here Haru had settled himself onto a couple pillows, content to lay there unlike Kyo who couldn't sit still despite the obvious wounds that were causing him pain. "If you want i'll do it instead!" Momiji offered, raising his hand as if her were in school. "Like hell I'd let you do it! You'd definitely make it worse." Kyo told the rabbit who immediately looked down fallen. "B...Bu...But..." He started, tears seeming to grow in his eyes. "Kyo come on! Let Doctor Shigure finish." Shigure cut in over Momiji, Kyo growling and reaching over, grabbing the gauze and scissors quickly from Shigure, the movement shooting al the way up his arm and down his spine. "Damn..." he grunted through clenched teeth as he took himself over to a corner, bandaging his wounds to himself. Before Ayame of Shigure could start again another voice broke into their thoughts as a familiar blond haired female poked her head around the doorway. "Aya," Hatori said surprised to see the familiar girl he had seen earlier. It seemed like a lifetime ago after all that had happened though. "Come in and take a seat..." He told her, waving to the cushions around. "My, My...don't tell me...this is the fair maiden Aya?" Ayame cut in again, not seeming to be able to keep his mouth shut. "Ayame, would you shut up? Why are you here anyway?" Kyo snapped at him, for a breif second Ayame seeming to take his words to heart before brushing them off. "My, My Kyon, are you really that happy to see me come back you want me to leave? I know my presence effected you but i have no idea..." Ayame laughed, Kyo opening his mouth to start yelling again. Haru sighed, gingerly lifting a arm to run his fingers through his hair. "It's ok...you're not interrupting anything..." He told Aya, ignoring Ayame and they rest of them for the moment, none of whom seemed to notice they were being ignored.

.Tell me..What do they see. When they look at me? .Do they see my many personalities.ღ

Brushing several strands of sandy blond hair from his right temple, the young man found himself staring down intently at beige-colored tiles. 'I don't know what to think of myself anymore. Am I really Aki Mikage or a perfect clone shaped to fit my mother's needs? Were my actions justifiable?' How were Aki's selfish actions justifiable? How could he turn into another Mitsuki Mikage? Why would the adolescent male follow his mother's brutal path? Why would anyone chose a destiny filled with violence, sorrow and bloodshed? 'I know you won't believe me....but the Mikage's have a tendency to kill any female showing Celestial tendencies. U..unfortunately...I...I'm one of the many girls...who tested positive for having C-genome.' He replayed Aya's painful confession vividly in his head 'You don't know what the real meaning behind a birthday is for this family. One spark of energy...and a single bullet to the head for the unfortunate half-Tennyo.' Brutal violence just for being different? It wasn't their fault that angel blood run through every vein in the household, although his very own family seemed to have forgotten their ancestry. 'They're in denial...just like you were.' Pushing aside the bothersome thoughts, the adolescent youth raised timid indigo eyes to meet Kagura's narrowed gaze. Wincing instinctively, he wasn't physically or emotionally prepared to deal with the nature of her forward words. Cold fingers curled into themselves, shortened nails digging into soft skin as Aki struggled to stomach the zodiac boar's dynamic behavior. Mistakes. Who in the world hasn't made errors? People, machines and even animals were prone to make miscalculations, sometimes resulting in advantages...other times coming out with undesired results. Biting down on his lower lip, the blond-haired male opened dried lips to speak "I'm good at making mistakes." He answered cynically "Mother always said...the eldest child needs to fall in order to make a better example out of themselves." Furrowing both eyebrows in distaste, the youth shook his head at his parental example. Falling and humiliation were two different terminologies combined into one for Mitsuki. Hitting rock bottom meant the same as dragging oneself around submissively through life without ever getting up to fight. 'I've made several mistakes in my short life. Some haven't caused much trouble...but this blunder will affect me for a while.' Yet, he couldn't allow himself to wallow in self pity. One mistake would not hold him down, instead Aki found an inner strength within himself. What was it? Was it courage to keep going onwards? Grasping the feeling of enlightenment with his heart, the youth grimaced lightly upon hearing musical laughter escaping from Kagura's lips. Seething inwardly, he couldn't help wondering what caused her chuckles. "I suppose there are exceptions to the blood bond." Aki stated at last, falling completely silent upon seeing her reaction to the mention of his mother's behavior influencing him.

'We used to be a normal family once upon a time.' Shifting into a more comfortable position on the rumpled full-sized bed, Aki thought back to his parent's method of punishment. Their father had been a man with an overly calm attitude that contrasted with his mother's explosive nature. Fair verses unfair punishment. Calm talks verses yells which usually ended up in one child coming out with a red hand print engraved into their cheek. 'Father stems...from the same family line as mother...but he never used violence on us. Not to mention...Aya who suffered most beneath Mitsuki's protective nature...I've never seen her snap in sixteen years of living beneath one roof.' Had Aya Mikage ever snapped at him for being annoying? Had his own flesh and blood ever raised a hand to hit him? Never. In sixteen years of sharing their sibling bond, the blond-haired male hadn't seen a single shard of harshness in his sister's delicate face. She had a fair share of arguments with him, but it was normal for brother's and sister's to fight over simple things, such as sharing televisions or invading each others personal space. 'Everyone has a free will.' His rational mind interceded, forcing Aki to literally hear Kagura's harsh conversation. Freezing in his seat, the young man didn't move for what seemed like an eternity of digesting her hurtful, yet honest words. She was right in every catagory. She had a right to be brutally truthful to him. He needed to hear his own faults. He needed to see the world from a different angle, rather then living inside with a distorted view on life. Swallowing a building lump in his throat, the blond-haired youth merely nodded in acknowledgment "I admit it." He replied softly "I had friends, other family members and even my dad who entered my life on a daily bases. Perhaps...I'm trying to sugar coat my responsibility in this...or maybe I'm to cowardly to admit...that yes...I chose to act this way on my own." Stopping himself in mid-sentence, Aki's shimmering hues blazed momentarily as Kagura's last words hit home. Did he really turn upon his own family? 'Trying to hit your own sister counts as betrayal on many levels.' An image of the broken living room flashed behind his eyelids, filling him with pictures of a frighten blond-haired female staring at him with widening azure orbs. Her facial expression reflecting disbelief at seeing a beloved relative raising his own hand to strike out at her. The panorama filled him with deep remorse and even the words coming out of the brown-haired Sohma rattled his heart. "That facial expression..." He repeated "I'll never forget..Aya's face." How would he ever erase that particular face from his memories? Simple. He couldn't...even if he wanted to.

Family. His once happy family now lay in complete shambles. Who could Aki Mikage blame for this disaster? His father? His mother? Aya? Or his own guilty self? He reached out tentatively to touch a gold-framed photograph of his old family sitting motionlessly upon the night-stand located on the right of the full bed. Running warm fingers over unbreakable glass, Aki could see his parents posing neatly in the background with two young children held in each arm. 'I remember posing for this picture...when we were about four years old.' His lips curved downwards in a bitter-sweet smile, for what use would it be to blame family for past matters. A tradition was a tradition right? He couldn't stop his family members from murdering their own daughters. But what about the brother's left behind to grieve? Did the parents even cry upon hearing such horrifying news? 'Dad was killed trying to protect me.' The words from his sister's earlier confession entwined with every other thought floating around in Aki's head. Anxiety combined with anger to produce an unpleasant sensation within Aki Mikage. Taking his hand away from the still picture, he turned glinting violet-blue hues upon Kagura already knowing she would rebuke his own words. Hardening facial features slightly, the adolescent male averted watery eyes down to the floor again. Why did he avoid Kagura's acidic expression? Was the truth painful for him to bare? Was he ashamed with himself? Nodding wordlessly, the blond-haired male confirmed her harsh word with a single movement of his stiffening neck. "Only me.." Aki muttered, allowing his fallen gaze to dart around the empty room in desperation. This feeling bubbling in his stomach? What was it? Whatever it was, he didn't want to find out at all. Yet, at the mention of families pushing one another out and his sister nearly being killed seemed to make him snap out of his dazed state "I'm seeing that now!" The male whispered "Just one look at the Celestial Maiden hidden inside Aya proved that angels...and curses do exist. I believe now....that I've seen it with my own eyes." He explained, swiftly sensing a sudden change in Kagura Sohma. Raising a slender eyebrow in question, the youth studied the brown-haired female for a second, although his examination resulted in near disaster. "Eh...well...waving those scissors about could cut me accidentally..or yourself." Aki huffed in exasperation, moving instinctively away from the snipping blade. 'Crazy.' Pulling in a ragged breath, the male allowed himself to relax only after Kagura removed the cutting utensil away from him. Of course, the shirt lying in the hamper sported enough damage to make even the most professional cleaner frown in disappointment. His clothing were ruined, but even torn fabric proved no match for Aki's pained gasps. Whether the male wanted to admit it or not, Kagura had done him a favor by throwing his ruined shirt away.

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'Am I going to lose myself in despair?' The blond-haired female wondered mentally 'Would I allow emotions to drive me into the deep end?' Hard questions rose from the depths of Aya's subconscious mind, filling her with possible scenarios. Giving into the darkness seemed tempting enough for the half-Tennin struggling to deal with various emotions that threatened to consume her in a heavy wave of realization. What could she do now? How would she find inner strength to keep fighting through the turmoil? 'Fighting with turmoil? How can I be strong...when I can barely restrain my own emotions. Ceres seems better suited to live under stress...while...my body feels raw inside and out.' There was no pain without love. There was no gain without losing a part of oneself. All the blond-haired female could do now was stand against the door frame with exhaustion etched across her delicate facial features. 'I'm not suited for any environment involving stress.' The Celestial Maiden spoke telepathically 'Danger is what enables me to respond on instinct...I only desire to leave this filthy world behind.' Ceres whispered harshly, her words contrasting sharpy with the raven-haired Tennyo from before. What had happened to the warm-hearted Ceres from before? What happened to the female who understood pain? How could she allow herself to become cold as ice? 'This world isn't filthy.' Aya snapped back 'We are the ones looking at the world from a different angle...not everyone is the same.' She explained attempting to open the stubborn tenshi's eyes to the possibilities. However, it was difficult convincing a woman whose only experience in the human world involved shedding a dozen tears, losing her child and killing the love of her life. 'You don't know anything...about me.' The raven-haired female exhaled softly 'My time on earth has been long...filled with many regrets...but I will warn you once and for all to stay away from Hatori Sohma. That man...doesn't sit well with me.' Ceres warned briefly, before vanishing into the fringes of Aya's imagination. Shoulders sagging in relief, the blond-haired female forced herself to pay attention to the chaotic scene inside Shigure's house. Kyo's constant shouts didn't relieve her headache, but any noise was a welcomed distraction from troublesome memories. "Thank you." She replied with a polite nod to the male. Stepping through the doorway brought Aya Mikage into a completely different atmosphere filled with both chaos and laughter. Darting sapphire hues around the room, the young woman focused her gaze on a flamboyant silver-haired male called Ayame. "F..Fair Maiden?" Aya stammered shyly, turning sideways to hide an impending blush on her cheek "I'm Aya....but...I.."She struggled to finish a broken sentence.

How could one simple compliment make her feel odd? Why did the blond-haired female feel the urge to hide within herself? Was it because no male had ever commented on her looks? Pressing a trembling hand against throbbing temples, Aya fell into distant memories 'I'm anything...but pretty.' The Celestial Maiden residing in her could take the title of most beautiful angel in the world. Black hair and shimmering golden orbs compared to her own golden-brown hair and gray-blue eyes. Indeed Ceres fell into the category of fair maiden. 'Focus Aya.' Dismissing Ayame's compliment completely, the blond-haired adolescent settled on the couch nearest Haru Sohma, although one look at him confirmed the Tennyo's earlier words. Bruises. Ugly blue-black bruises engraved into their skin. Concern shimmered faintly in her expression, for Aya reached out to gingerly trace some marks on Haru's smooth skin "What...Ceres said was true." She whispered, closing orbs wearily "Gomen...my brother has caused nothing...but trouble." The female apologized on Aki's behalf, already knowing 'I'm sorry' wouldn't patch broken relationships. Pulling her hand away from the white-haired Sohma, Aya raised an eyebrow in question "Who is he...by the way?" She questioned inquisitively, cocking head to the side to study Ayame's interaction with Kyo Sohma. 'I could careless...who he is.' Ceres scoffed in annoyance 'Their yelling is making slumber nearly impossible.' Thinning painted red lips into a devilish smile, the Heavenly Maiden took temporary control of Aya's body without transforming. Using bits of Celestial energy, she nudged Kyo and Ayame purposely in the ribs as if telling them to shut up. 'Be quite already.' The raven-haired female sneered mentally, relinquishing control of her host's body for now. Blinking several times in confusion, Aya found herself sitting on the couch with an awkward expression making home on her face. "What in the world? Shrugging away the incident, she gazed sideways at Haru "I came here to fulfill Ceres promise to heal you...but she refuses to come out right now." The blond teenager muttered, finding herself slightly dizzy from alien emotions bubbling inside her stomach. 'I can't tell them...about the main house...nor can I say anything else.' Fighting back against the familiar feel of salty tears making their way into her vision. 'Stop it...I don't want to cry in front of everyone.'

Kagura listened, he wanted to believe it wasn't his fault. Partially she knew it wasn't all his fault, part of it was his mothers fault, but that was no way to justify it. As far as he was concerned it was all his fault, that's what was important. Maybe someone someone could soften it, make him see that his mother had had a hand in it, but it wasn't now, it wasn't today. She narrowed her eyes to watch him, walking over and slamming her hands down on either side of him, her face inches from his. "I don't care what your mother said, Aki. Your purpose here isn't to make Aya's mistakes. Nothing gives you the right to make a mistake, or anyone for thee matter." She told him, her sentences not seeming to make sense as she pulled back. "Of course we do, and those mistakes hurt us and others, but as humans we have hearts and we forgive because we know they will happen, but our goal should be to fight, to try not to make mistakes for our friends...our family." She told him, her eyes hard in passion. "We try to become better and not make mistakes so we don't hurt them, not decide we're here to make mistakes that only hurt others." She told him, looking away not wanting to look at him again. She turned around, walking over to the pictures. "Yes... there are exceptions." She told him, it was not longer a matter of theory. "Your family is proof." As is ours... She added, closing her eyes to the wall. Images of Kyo, transforming into his rotting form. Images of times long past as they walked away from him to go to the feast, leaving a young and sad looking Kyo behind. She saw the cage Kyo had spent time in and the house, isolated from the rest of society that was set aside for him. Yes, blood guarantees nothing for a persons well being... She thought to herself as she opened her eyes to look at the happy pictures again. Happiness, and family bonding is what guarantees a persons well being... She thought, looking at the memories from the twins childhood, happy times and free times. Sure, they had had their fair share of stupid times together, fun times that the cousins had spent together, laughed together, but that's because they had become friends, not because they were family. The word family only held death and sorrow to them.

"You are trying to rationalize it." She said simply as he seemed to fact the reality. She was blunt, but struggling with emotions as she still found she couldn't face him, emotions raging on her face, tears even threatening to well in her eyes. "You had a family, you have a time to remember when everything was good." She told him, since birth everyone of them had been different. Before they knew they were different, the world treated them different. Their parents treated them different. Some over protected them, nost pushed them away, were repulsed by them, became sick of them until Hatori watched their memories of their child clean. "Never take that for granted." She warned him, not caring if she if giving him a hint to her life, a glimse into the emotions of their family even though he was still ignorant to their curse. Someday he may know, and if he did he would understand her words. He wasn't going to explain, but warn him from her own experience, and with ehr tone no one would doubt her words came from experience. "Yes Aki, It was only you that caused the rift between you and your sister, but it's also only you that can heal it." She told him, finally turning around to look at him again, her eyes guarded, but full of compassion for the teenager. "You can do it. I have confidence in you. And maybe if you can do that, for yourself, if you can do it for Aya you will give Aya the hope she needs to keep moving forward." She told him, her eyes sparking as she watched him. "You can give her hope that within the darkness of night, of pain caused by curses, that people have the will to over come." She told him, a small smile finding it's way to her face. Who knows, maybe someday that hope will reach our family. She thought to herself as she smiled at him. "Next time int he future maybe you'll learn you don't have to see to believe, you just have to believe in the people around you." She pointed out, glancing over at the scissors as she shrugged her shoulders, throwing her hands in the air, scissors and all, as she did so. "Like I said, If i had been going to mark on you, it would of been done by now." She told him with a laugh before putting them away and disappearing onto the streets.

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Yuki fell back onto the bed, once again alone in the small room, his room. He closed his eyes as his head hit the pillow, even that force sending tingles down his spine that he barely noticed through his thoughts. So this was the end? As far as the road went. Isn't that how it always was? No one could ever get farther, right? No matter how high up the mountain they climbed the mountain was just an illusion, that would send you crashing back to earth when it disappeared. It was happening again, all over again. Yuki covered his eyes, pulling his arms up to his ears despite the pain it caused. He pressed his hands to his ears desperately as if to block out sounds only he could hear. 'Please Hatori don't! They're my friends! He heard his voice, the scene reliving in his mind, one that controlled his mind and body at the moment. Ever since he had overheard Hatori and Aya's conversation. Why? Why was Hatori doing it? He could still feel Hatori's larger hand on his head and his voice, though years had passed his voice hadn't changed. It was still the same tone as he looked at him with eyes that didn't dare to show emotion. 'I'm Sorry Yuki,' He tried to cry out, but he couldn't do it. His voice, which had been controlled by a memory had returned to it's dormant state. He couldn't speak, he couldn't even move from his curled position on the bed as he tried to cover his eyes and block out the images of his memories without prevail. They will all... forget about me... He thought to himself, thinking about Aya, her smiling face. She'll forget about me, like the rest of them. She won't know my name or anything about me... I'll be alone, alone in the darkness, alone with his scars and memories. Will she be happier? He thought to himself, the smiling faces of his past friends popping in his head. They had been smiling before he met them, and they smiled after it had all been over. He tried not to think about the smiles they had shared with him, the ones that no longer existed. They had been happier to forget, after their faces of terror at his transformation.

Meanwhile Hatori was still sitting in the same chair, staring at the paper door that separated him from outside, from the gardens and the pond. He could still remember the day he fell trying to catch Tohru, she seemed to have a habit of falling. He'd transformed onto the frozen pond, in need of water. Her reaction had been the same as Kana's. He wondered, if he had transformed in front of Aya would she of had the same reaction? He supposed it was to late to know. The day after tomorrow... He thought to himself, that was how long she had to hold onto her memories, her feelings. When her memories vanished so would her emotions. No matter now real they seemed no, no matter how impossible it seemed they would change, soon they would no longer exist, vanish entirely. What was Yuki thinking right now? Physically he was worn down, mentally he was worn down. It was in a state of panic and confusion already and now... and now the person he had gone through so much for and looked forward too was about to forget him. She might remember his name from seeing him in the hallway. She might know that 'Prince Yuki' was exalted in the school, but nothing beyond that. No transformations, no lunches, no conversations, no house calls or bedside visits. It was all gone, at least Hatori had possessed a clear head at the time, Yuki's was in disarray from the beating, this is the second time he's had it happened to him. Yuki... Maybe someday you'll understand. He thought, this curse he had, he had no choice. It was his job that he would carry out, regardless of how anyone felt about it. The only thing that mattered was what Akito thought. In the end it would be better, he just had to tell himself that. The curse hurt people, it was best not to hurt more people than necessary, even if that meant hurting them within the curse more. Every time he had erased someones memories it had been to cave that person from the knowledge, like Momiji's mother or Kana, or to stop people from spreading it, like Yuki's young friends who didn't know better. Which did Aya fall into? The truth was he knew the answer, and he wish he didn't. She didn't fall into either, she had intruded in Akito's territory and that was all. He closed his eyes, looking away with a low sigh.

Across the main house Akito sat sprawled on the floor of her bedroom. Her kimono was loose, didn't seem to fit right, but when had that mattered to her? Kureno sat behind her, trying to comfort her and calm down her unstable nerves. She had fallen silent from her cries and looked calm but her thoughts and emotions were still a mess of a blur. Aya... She thought to herself, a picture of the girl rising in her mind. I don't know why she's even here... it's not like she's beautiful or gorgeous, it's not like she had any special abilities either... She thought to herself, fuming at the idea of this outsider. Shes just CURED Akito had protected her from her mother hadn't she? On one condition, and the ungrateful brat couldn't even do that. She thought she could change things, but she was sorely wrong. She can't change things, she can never change things. We are bound together forever...forever... IN the silence Akito suddenly raised a fist, throwing it onto the floor in frustration with a low thud. She can't ruin it! She can't ruin our fun! Why can't she just go away and leave us to our never-ending feast?She thought, looking up at Kureno as he gently ran his hands through her hair to try and calm her down. Why...Why is she here? Can't she just go away and leave us alone? She thought, suddenly an image of Aya popping up again in her mind. But this one wasn't Aya it was the other one, the one that had threatened to kill her. Her dark hair was flying around her face, who was she? In that instant Akito had don't nothing but laugh. She could kill her all she wanted, she could bring the reign of the heavens down on her, it wouldn't change anything. She would just be born again, and again, and again. She couldn't stop it! Akito had the urge to laugh, to laugh at her stupidity but something held her back. She could see Ceres face clearly. Why does her face seem to remind me of someone? She wondered to herself, she couldn't place it but Ceres face gave her an unsettled feeling. I don't like it! She thought to herself as she buried her head into Kureno's shirt. It doesn't matter, She reminded herself, soon it would all be over, and she's never have to feel these strange emotions ever again, she could continue their feast in happiness.

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Kyo growled as he finished, tossing the roll of gauze as Shigure, though the roll going off in a strange direction when the movement was too much from his arm. "There." Kyo grunted as he curled in a ball as if to protect his wounds. Haru glanced over at him. "If you'd just let Shigure finish you wouldn't of misused your arm and it wouldn't hurt so much..." Haru told the cat as he looked over at him, still not moving from his comfortable position on the floor. He hadn't changed and was still dressed in a loose people of shorts and a tank top. While they prevented and pressure on his wounds they also showed off a lot of his wounds, you could even see some through the white tank top on his chest. "I'm not letting that dog get anywhere near me." Kyo hissed, Shigure not seeming to notice as he glanced up at Aya. "Ah Aya, welcome." He told her with a carefree smiel as he ushered to one of the many spots around the room. "Sit, Sit...we have plenty of room. As you can see Kyo had graced us with his presence...."Shigure started laughing before he was cut off. "Whatever, I wanted to stay upstairs." Kyo hissed at him. "It's much quieter, but then YOU had to go and call Ayame, and I sure as hell wasn't going to lay there while he curled up beside me." He told Shigure, Ayame laughing and waving Kyo off. "Nonsense, I was helping with the fever! They say if you lay down on someone who has a fever it helps bring the fever down." Ayame told him, Kyo trying to jump up, but barely moving before his body prevented it. "What fever? I don't even have a fever!" He told Ayame who shrugged as if it was a minor detail. "Not now, I stopped it before it happened." Ayame told Kyo who narrowed his eyes. "Why you..." He started, trying to get up again but once again failing. "Kyo..." Momiji told his cousin with a worried expression as he winced in pain. "Why don't you just lay down?" He asked, Kyo turning to look at the rabbit. "Because he's annoying and he can't just get away with saying stuff like that!" Kyo told Momiji firmly.

Ayame turned his expression onto Aya, his eyes giving her his full attention, he had a way of making girls feel special. "Well of course, someone as beautiful as you can't be called as anything less." He told her, glancing at Shigure. "Ah, so this is the fair Aya? I've heard so much about you, i hadn't dreamed that this day would come so soon. Forgive me, It's a crime i haven't introduced myself yet, "My name is Ayame Sohma," He told her with a charming smile. Though they acted completely different, there was a definite resemblance between Ayame and Yuki. they could of been twins born a few years apart, and different hair. "Yuki's brother." Haru added after a second, just loud enough for her to hear. Unfortunately Ayame seemed to hear, "Ah yes! Alas my dear brother whom I love so much is not here. I wanted to go strait away, but Hatori told me it would be best not to come so i had no choice but to obey..." He said, for a second looking as if he were down-fallen, but the expression vanishing very quickly. "But not to fear, I am making him something to cheer him up! What do you think?" He asked as he held up a pink shirt with what looked like unfinished embroidery on the back. "Who the hell would wear that?" Kyo asked Ayame with a snicker. "Kyon-Kyon... my you don't have to be so harsh about it... if you want one just come right out and say it! I can make you one too you know!" Ayame told him with a laugh Kyo looking horrified by the idea. "Hell no, there's no chance i'd ever wear something you gave me." Kyo told Ayame sourly. "Really Kyo, just because you got beat up by Haru doesn't mean you have to get in a bad mood." Shigure cut in as he glanced at Ayame. "I'm sorry Aya, i'm afraid he hadn't learned the proper manners." Shigure told Ayame, using his common nickname 'Aya,' not thinking about the confusion.

Haru shook his head, glancing at Aya, and ignoring the rest of them again. "Don't worry Aya, it wasn't your fault." Haru told her with a reassuring smile. "Besides, none of this is from your brother." He told her, deciding to leave out the face that Momiji had gotten hurt protecting her brother which was what led to him fighting Kyo to release the anger Aki had provoked from Haru. "I got back the one who DID do this pretty good though." Haru said, glancing over at Kyo with a slight smirk, Kyo seeming to realize he was being talked about. "What are you saying over there?" He asked but Haru waved him off. "Nothing, nothing..." Haru said offhandedly as he turned back to aya, ignoring Kyo's protests: 'Don't start a fight if you're not gonna finish it! Oy...Haru!.' "Really, just battle wounds." He told her, "Though my head does hurt a bit from getting thrown into a tree..." He muttered, the comment seeming to cut the noisy Kyo up. "Served you right for that blow you served into my chest..." Kyo told Haru who decided to stop talking about it with Aya around, she probably didn't need to know the details of what her brother started, unless she asked and then... even then he wasn't sure. At Ceres nudge two different reactions sprand out from both sides of the room. Kyo hissed at the pressure on his wounds as he glanced around. "Who the hell did that?" He shouted, as ayame across the room seemed to pause in his rant for a momentary instant before continuing talking to Shigure. About what? Honestly none of the Sohma's really cared, knowing the two of them it probably didn't makes sense anyway. Momiji looked at Aya as she mentioned her reason for being here. "I see! But don't worry about it now! We can do it later, just sit down ok?! Aya are you going to cry?" Momiji told her as he jumped up, giving no hint he had any wounds and sitting down beside her. Momiji had an uncanny ability to sense others emotions, and Haru knew it who was watching Aya closely. "You know...everyone here is sad and worried." Momiji told her with a small smile as he took her hand. "But you have to be happy too right? He wouldn't want you to be sad!" Momiji told her referring to Yuki as the 'he' in his statement. "So come on! be happy for now! Tohru will be home any moment and will make some delicious food and we can listen to Shigure's stories and Ayame's..." "What's so good about that?" Kyo asked, cutting into Momiji's explanation. "It's all annoying blabber to me..." He said, referring to 'Shigure's stories' and Ayame's...well whatever he did. "Now, Now Kyo...you must learn to appreciate a good story when you hear one!" Shigure told Kyo who was fuming. "I have yet to hear a good story out of you." Kyo told Shigure with a hiss.

.Tell me..What do they see. When they look at me? .Do they see my many personalities.ღ

{ "Father! Father! Where are you?!" The eight-year old boy yelled impatiently, his small voice fighting over the immense sound of oceanic waves crashing against California's Long Beach Coast. Flickering widening indigo hues around desolate beige sands, Aki Mikage searched for any signs pertaining to his soft-spoken father. 'I see nothing..but sand and seaweed.' He grunted beneath his breath, leaning down on one knee to investigate several strands of slippery kelp left stranded on weather-beaten rock. Extending curious hands outwards, the young boy allowed his sensitive finger-tips to explore icy cold sea fronds "Cold...not to mention slimy." He breathed uneasily, briefly gazing upwards to see his twin sister galloping down the stretch of lone beach separating the pier and busy down town from each other "Be careful not to fall down!" Aki hollered out warnings, although vague warnings coming out from a concerned older brother wouldn't stop Aya Mikage from getting herself into loads of trouble. "Stop being a stick in the sand!" She answered cynically, stopping in mid-stride to roll gray-blue hues in sheer annoyance "Why? Why does he treat me...like a little girl?" The young female pondered softly, shimmering orbs watching Aki's facial features twist into an angry scowl. Apparently, he had taken the role of 'protective' older brother quite seriously for the youth now charged towards her with blazing Prussian-colored eyes narrowed in equal fury "Don't you understand!?" Aki screeched coming to an abrupt halt besides his own flesh and blood. Droplets of cold sweat dotted one slender eyebrow, chest moved inwardly to capture precious oxygen from the atmosphere "Mother made me promise to protect you...no matter what the circumstances." He explained in between heavy pants "I...I don't know why I listened to you in the first place. Wandering away from father was a grave mistake to make...and now..I don't even recall where father parked his sedan." Shutting down in mid-sentence, his left foot kicked up powdery sand in frustration. Particles of rock, shredded sea-shells and seaweed deposits landed at Aya's feet, while the little girl gazed upon her elder brother with compassionate sapphire hues "Isn't it obvious?" She questioned lowly, kneeling down to scoop several rainbow-colored shells from the discarded sand pile "Freedom is a valuable commodity." Pale lips curved downwards into a childish smile "Aren't we just kids? Aren't we supposed to enjoy ourselves...like any normal child would? Why...does mother impose adult situations upon us? Look...I'm not doing this to get you in trouble...I just want to be free even if it's for a little while." Flickering broken pieces of shell at Aki, the young woman giggled "Let's have fun!" Tossing both hands up to shield himself from flying debris, the shaggy-haired youth chuckled sheepishly at his over-zealous sister "You're right! Kids should have fun." He whispered bending down again to pick up loose pieces of kelp seaweed from the ground below.}

'I'm glad father said nothing over our disappearance.' The adolescent male mused silently to himself 'Mother would have called dad an irresponsible adult for letting us wander around Long Beach without assistance.' Did his paternal figure have a valid right to insult his father's care free attitude? Was his mother raised beneath a haze of over-protectiveness and brutal punishments administered for any little reason? Could Mitsuki's violent attitude be justified? 'Violence justifies nothing.' His rational mind broke into his train of thought 'Ever wonder why...conflict makes problems worse? Ever wonder why...people negotiate before charging into war? Why do you fear knowing the truth?' No, he wasn't afraid of knowing the truth. Or could Aki Mikage be in complete denial again? How could the adolescent male discard theories as fake occurrences, now that Ceres had appeared before his very eyes? 'Aya transformed into a completely different woman back there. 'Ceres' the Celestial Maiden holds great mystery about her...although those eyes reflect a hidden sadness. Why is she full of sorrow and hatred?' Pushing aside muddled questions, the blond-haired male focused indigo-colored hues against Kagura Sohma's narrowed eyes. How did the zodiac boar feel to hear his disdain-filled words? 'Angry maybe?' Moving his aching body into a more comfortable position upon wrinkled bed quilts, the adolescent male found himself uttering a surprised yelp as Kagura suddenly appeared in front of him. "N..Nani!? What are you doing scaring me like that!?" Aki shrieked in astonishment, after being caught completely off-guard by Kagura's hands slamming violently on either side of him. 'Had her hands slammed into a hard surface...no doubt it could have suffered severe fractures.' Was the young woman furious enough to discard rational thought? Did she not realize every single word coming forth rubbed him raw inside and out? Burned. He felt burned through the entire process, but at least he would earn a good life lesson in believing those around him. 'I'll believe in my sister's word more often.' Believing would be a difficult adjustment for Aki, as his life had consisted of constant rebukes from his own mother, but he had to learn or else continue making errors that would hurt those around him. Leaning backwards against comfortable pillows, the blond-haired youth opened his mouth to speak in a hoarse sounding voice "If I don't make mistakes...then I won't learn." Aki stated beneath his breath, raising slender eyebrow to gaze at the brown-haired female with flustered emotions crowding his heart. Her words made no sense, then again nothing made sense to him now. 'So much has occurred in one day...I'm trying to sort out pieces to the puzzle.' First the humilating defeat against Haru Sohma and now near tragedy with his sister Aya Mikage. What next? How many more errors would Aki Mikage make? "I.." He paused momentarily, tilting head sideways to listen to the rest of Kagura's wise conversation before speaking out his feelings "I will not make anymore mistakes...however..my actions will speak louder..then words ever could.

Promises could easily be broken with a simple mistake. Verbal promises would mean nothing to anyone if the owner lacked knowledge to recognize their own errors. 'Analyze your own mistakes..learn how to move on without wallowing in self guilt.' Aya wasn't perfect. He wasn't perfect nor were his parents whose wise words often lead Aki to iniciate idiotic problems. 'Are you ready to change your behavior? Are you even ready to take on such a tremendous task?' His rational mind whispered out softly to the distraught teenager. Nodding mentally to his alert subconscious, the blond-haired youth watched as Kagura Sohma turned her back towards him. What was wrong with her? Why the sudden passion expressed in strong words? Aki wanted to ask the brown-haired Sohma, but bit his lower lip to seal away unwanted questions. It wasn't his concern to ask Kagura what was going through her head and he certainly wasn't going to mention the earlier battle with Haru Sohma. Did he want to forget? Did he want to bury his blunders beneath a fresh coat of mud? 'Am I really rationalizing words?' Shaking shaggy bangs away from his face, the look of frustration softening into various emotions fighting for control upon Aki's tight facial features. He didn't know what to feel now. He didn't even know how to respond to the heavy weight Kagura's words brought. Stretching several unsteady fingers outward, sensitive tips traced lightly over various snap-shots of himself and his sister peering through opaque glass. Smiles. Freedom. Warmth. Friendship. A time when family tradition was nonexistent to his sister Aya. Why had life changed for the worse? Yes, life had a habit of spring nasty surprises. Although, sometimes life turned drastically thanks to family intervention. 'If your sister died...would you cry?' Shoving aside troublesome aches welling in his beating heart, Aki nodded vigorously "Even if most of those shared memories with my mother and father were lies...I'll never forget the time we spent together as a family. Yet...I still have one relative who over look my feelings." He replied, twitching lips curving downwards in a fond smile as warmth swirled inside. Twisting head around to glance at the zodiac boar, the young man couldn't help being at odds with Kagura Sohma. 'She speaks passionately...yet at the same time I detect emotions pertaining to her life. What is going on with the Sohma Family?' It was none of his concern to know what occurred to others, but if that was the case..then why did the Sohma's become involved with Aya and himself. 'Actually..my sister was the one who became involved with the Sohma Family...I on the other hand threw myself face first in harms path.' The seriousness of Aki's situation slapped him straight in the face. His hurtful words of disbelief. His aggressive attitude towards innocent people. His own faults. He caused trouble in the first place and Aki could also be the one to patch up broken relationships. "Heh...I'm not going to let the rift between us get bigger." The adolescent male admitted, standing abruptly from his bed. Trudging unsteadily towards the closet positioned in front of his bed, Aki reached through open doors to pull out an ashen-colored shirt. "Don't worry about me being a disbeliever....everyone proved me wrong today." He reassured, the departing Sohma female.

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'How long do you intend to suffer?' Tossing strands of ebony-colored hair over one shoulder, the Heavenly Maiden laid critical eyes upon Aya Mikage 'Are you waiting for miracles to happen?' She demanded venomously, raising one index finger upwards 'I'm an angel...but don't except me to get involve in your affairs with Yuki Sohma. I..I'm done dealing with malicious human hearts.' Harsh words escaped from painted red lips, falling harmlessly to the ground like pin-drops lost forever in darkness. Did Ceres mean to discard every feeling aside? Had her heart frozen over with blooms of ice? 'I'm not fooled by your act.' The blond-haired female answered telepathically 'Every emotion emanating from you...every feeling...those are the words a woman speaks..when her heart has been broken into a thousand peices. Isn't that right? Hasn't your heart been stomped by the man you deemed dear?' Aya questioned softly to the stunned Celestial Maiden. Lowering head downwards, blue-gray orbs shimmered with fierce emotions stemming from both trapped females. One woman sought to hide every last ounce of true emotion beneath unbreakable barriers, while another fought desperately for a chance at first love. 'I..' Ceres paused in mid-sentence 'I see. You've become quite a perceptive young woman haven't you? Tennyo blood seems to be awakening quite strongly within you...but your connectivity to my emotions...won't be of much help..if warnings aren't heeded.' She stated, dropping several hints concerning Hatori Sohma and his possible methods of eliminating threats. 'I'd walk cautiously..if I were you.' The Tenshi sneered, narrowing golden-brown hues over the chaotic scene created by Ayame and Kyo Sohma. What was the silver-haired male doing here in the first place? Did he not realize his presense was annoying? How could anyone be flamboyant? Shaking her head in disdain, Ceres scoffed to herself 'Pathetic. How can that man woe you with meaningless compliments?' Turning away from the scene, the raven-haired female couldn't help feeling envy over the attention Aya Mikage received. Why? Why was she bothered? 'Jealous? Are you jealous Ceres? Do you want me to relinquish control? I'm sure..Ayame Sohma will lavish you with more attention.' The half-tennin muttered to her troubled grandmother. 'I envy no one.' Ceres snapped in a hoarse voice, her quivering tone betraying true intentions. She was indeed jealous over the attention Ayame Sohma showed upon Aya, but stubborn pride held the Celestial Maiden from admitting it. 'If you say so.' Shrugging tension off her slender shoulders, the blond-haired female took time to analyze several complex emotions emanating from each individual wall. Worry, happiness, sorrow. Uncertainty weighed heavily, even with Ayame and Shigure's boisterous nature, the two adult Sohma's failed in extinguishing pent-up feelings building within Aya's fragile heart. 'Why can't I relax?!' Was she too scared to relax? Or was Ceres' stormy nature too blame?

Guilt or Fear. Which one fell into the right category? Which one matched Aya's description perfectly? Did her slender body tremble with fright of the unknown? 'Fear? Guilt? I should be able to distinguish my own emotions. But why...does everything seem complicated?' Nodding briefly in gratitude, the blond-haired female offered Shigure a strained smile. 'Hospitality...and all I give are feelings of dishonesty.' She felt horrid for bursting in with out permission. Who was she to intrude on Sohma property? Who was she to present herself after causing destruction at the main house? 'We don't belong here.' Ceres whispered sweetly 'Tennyo's are heavenly creatures designed to rule the skies without chains bounding them to earth. We all have an innate ability that craves freedom...even if outcomes are painful.' The raven-haired female broke off in mid-speech, flickering golden-brown orbs upon every individual male sharing one living room. 'Heh...a simple prod of my celestial powers failed to shut them up.' Falling once again into brooding silence, she faded from sight until the time to emerge arrived. Pushing aside Ceres' irrational words from mind, the blond-haired female walked heavily on legs that seemed slower then usual. Why? Why did her body feel heavy? Was each emotion becoming one more burden upon Aya's shoulders? Ironic. Quite ironic actually. How could a sixteen-year old girl endure several hits? 'I'm resilient.' Her conscious mind answered, sending twisted messages to Aya's heart. An eternity seemed to pass until the half-tennin positioned herself sideways with velvet-lined cushions propped against an aching back. 'Resilient? I'm trying to fool myself into a false sense of security.' Feelings involving weaknesses of the heart, were not her strongest point. She wasn't specialized in dealing with different issues going on at once. Apparently, the only woman capable of fighting against stress thrived on outer fringes of imagination. 'Ceres is stronger..then me.' Tossing fresh mud on troublesome burdens, the sandy-haired female focused intently on the older Sohma's carrying on a nonchalant conversation filled with uncomfortable topics for the zodiac cat. Pressing several trembling fingers against glossy lips, Aya tried smothering chuckles from escaping. "You two are really something...else." She stammered softly, shifting uncomfortably at the mere mention of her name being known. Of course her name would ring red flags. Who was she to attempt fake innocence? Who was she to offer meaningless apologizes? Aya and Ceres. Two distinct names. Two distinct personalities sharing one body. Different thoughts mixed with leaking feelings from one another. Ceres was the Tennyo responsible for nearly murdering Akito, yet her plans were dissolved thanks to Yuki Sohma's interference. "I...I see..my name is well known even with the older Sohma's." She answered bluntly, veiling intense guilt beneath a blanket of indifference 'It wasn't me! It wasn't me at all! I can't control my own body! I can't control a tennyo who is hell bent on murdering!' Averting orbs to the floor below, her cheeks became nearly scarlet "Pardon my rudeness. A pleasure to meet you Ayame." The blond-haired female stated, clearing throat nervously. Compliments were quite new to Aya Mikage and having a male say it without hesitation drove her up the wall.

Ordinary mixed with super natural tendencies. What normal girl harbored vengeful spirits inside of them? 'I'll never be normal.' Who was she trying to kid? Was Aya ashamed of having angel blood flowing through her veins. The answer appeared simple enough to answer, but each advantage weighed against disadvantages out-scaled the bad. It was nice having another voice inside to offer guidance in tight situations. It was nice being able to share intimate secrets with one's great-grandmother. Yet, the tables turned when the great ancestor tried taking matters into her own hands. 'Normal. What am I trying to prove?' The blond-haired female mused silently to herself, blinking gray-blue orbs several times, she turned attention back upon Haru Sohma. Thinning glossy lips into a line of disbelief, Aya's facial features expressed mixed feelings. This silver-haired male with dazzling golden eyes was Yuki's brother? How could that be? Their attitudes were vastly different in every aspect. Yuki Sohma seemed more reserved, introvert, hardly speaking to anyone outside his small circle of close friends and family members, while Ayame fell on the extreme end of the spectrum. He gave away vivacious energy, bubbly over-confidence and the only similarity between both siblings was their charming appearance. 'This idiot is Yuki's older brother?' The raven-haired angel questioned 'I see family distinction...but how can a quiet boy..have such a noisy relative?' Mother nature apparently had awkward ideas when forming distinctive personalities. Perhaps, that is what made humans completely separate from Tennyo's in heaven. Humanities' dynamic behavior made humans partially interesting to interact with. 'There is no doubt in my mind..that Ayame Sohma is indeed Yuki's older brother.' Aya spoke telepathically to the annoyed Celestial Maiden. "Ah! Yuki's older brother." She acknowledge Haru's words with a small smile forming on dried lips "I'm sure...Yuki will appreciate your gift in his own way." The adolescent female replied, eying the pink shirt held limply in the snake's hand. 'On second thought...no.' Although Ayame's thoughtfulness could be appreciated, she wondered if he knew Yuki well enough to choose more adequate outfits consisting of less feminine colors. 'I should make a gift to cheer Yuki up...what does he like though?' Crossing both arms across her chest, Mikage Aya closed sapphire hues against rising tears. Everyone in this household worried over the silver-haired youth. Her fault. It was all her fault for befriending him in the first place. Did she regret speaking with him? Did she have remorse over seeing his animal form? No. She regretted nothing at all. Even threats coming out of Akito's very mouth would discourage her from loving Yuki. Shaking herself out of nightmarish dreams, she listened half-heartedly to Haru's reassuring words. "Technically it is my fault." Aya stated lowly "I should have been aware of the consequences. However...I'll stay here until Ceres decides to come out." After explaining her reason for being here, the blond-haired female found herself face to face with Momiji Sohma sitting down next to her. His seemingly innocent question caught the half-tennin by surprise "Cry? I'm not going to cry...my eyes are just watering. See?" She tried lying, although her attempt failed miserably. "I know 'he' doesn't want to see me sad...but I can't help feeling guilty over his current state." Aya confessed, averting blue hues down to the floor below "On the other hand...I could use some distraction right now." The Tennin reassured, managing a strained smile to form "Hey..I'd like to hear stories from both Ayame and Shigure."

Kagura watched him,she could see all of the emotions running behind his eyes. She didn't even seem to care, or notice at his startled question. What was she doing? She was trying to knock some sense into him. Maybe she was going to far, maybe she had done enough and was taking this to personally, but it didn't matter. It wasn't that she was mad, it was that it was increasingly becoming more important to her, and every Sohma knew when Kagura got going, especially when it came to her emotions, it was better to let her just blow it off, because nothing stopped her. Yes,she knew her hands were inches from his head, a movement so fast it would of been easy to misplace her hands, to hit the bone sin his nose or the flesh on his cheek. Despite what it may appear Kagura was very much in control, of her body at any rate. Of her emotions..well...she hadn't harmed him without meaning to yet. Unfortunately for Aki his comment didn't pass her notice, Kagura narrowed her eyes at him as he tried to argue, his wounds sounding like nothing more than a smart alleck comment. Did he really think that she didn't know that? She closed her eyes for a moment, her fingers pulling into her palms and nails driving into her skin as she held herself in that position for a moment, hands against the wall, hardly allowing Aki to move. She could feel blood pulsating through her fingers and past her ears. Was it anger? No... more like irritation on top of a all the passion and emotions she had swirling around .Just don't do anything you don't mean to... She thought, using the self control she seemed to have none of around Kyo, or really any other time for that matter. He's so frail he'd break in an instant... and things would only get worse if i went to prison in the middle of this... She reminded herself , for a second she could hear Shigure's voice in her head, 'You think Kagura's dangerous in love you should see her when she's mad! Or irritated...' She breathed out slowly, pushing herself up so she was standing in front of him slowly opening her eyes. "I know you will Aki, You're a human after all." She said, the words strangely ironic as she finished the sentence in her head. Unlike some of us. "However..." She contained as she watched him. "Knowing we will make a mistake isn't an excuse to make a mistake if you see it coming, or to continue it once you're realized it. That is my point Aki." She told her, her voice was quiet yet intense as she closed her eyes. "You are not here to make mistakes, you are here to learn, and learning doesn't have to involve loss." She told him. "Oh yes... they will..." She agreed softly, thinking about Akito, about their god. She said that they were a family, but a family was more than blood. She acted as if she cared too much to let them go, while treating them as if he didn't care about them at all. It was contradictory, and there was no understand of it. She wasn't sure Akito even understood, after all... if he did wouldn't he not give such opposite statements? She closed her eyes, she didn't understand. She doubted she would ever understand, how could she? It's ok... She thought to herself with a sigh, it's probably a good thing I don't... She added after a moment to herself.

Kagura listened to him, there was warmth in his voice and she smiled to herself. That's what she had been searching for. It was the longing for what had been so strong it overtook all other emotions. There was more though, something that Kagura had wanted to feel for herself. It was the joy and warmth that came with the word family. It was something that none of them had possessed, to think of family and feel a warmth inside. She knew it was wrong to say her family didn't possess love. Between those cursed they shared the concern...even the love of a family, but it didn't come from the idea of family, it came because of the individuals alone. It was about the only thing they did have. She closed her eyes, he was foolish, yes, but he wasn't completely stupid. While the idea brought swirls of sadness and loneliness she was happy too, she was at ease knowing she had at least helped in her own little way. "It's like that in any family." She told him simply as she listened to him. Someone who overlooked others feelings. She supposed some would argue Shigure actually fell into that category, but Kagura knew better. Despite what others may think he still cared for others emotions. "I can't speak of things I don't know about." She told him after a moment, "But you not all of it was a lie, your family loves you." She told him, she couldn't say all of them did, because Kagura had as much doubt about their mother as Akito but, he did have family that loved him, just like the rest of them, only he had gotten to enjoy it for all it was worth. Not that he hadn't had his troubles, not this their childhood had even been perfect, but they had at least spent it in an ignorant bliss, one Aki had successfully shattered for himself. "Good," She said, turning around and looking at him with a bright, carefree smile. It was another moment that seemed strangely out of place, Kagura had a lot of those, as she winked at him. "After all, you're not all bad, I'd really hate it if i had to come back here and beat the crap out of you, I have less control than Haru sometimes." She said, it would be worse for everyone if she went to prison right now in the middle of everything. Despite her words saying it with a giggle as she imagined her ox of a cousin. It was a whole lot rarer, in fact it had only happened once but with her accuracy and emotions she could be more deadly, though never as annoying. Kagura never had really gotten into the whole smart ass comment thing that marked 'black Haru' as black. When she got upset, she just attacked, that's all there was to it. Though any Sohma knew that she had been put into martial arts in the first place in hopes to keep her from killing Kyo. He's not dead yet. She reminded herself as she glanced back at Aki, waiting before skipping out, looking up at the clear sky. Had the sky been clear this whole time? She laughed to herself, as if having a personal thought before skipping away, waving at people as she passed, her body not even brushing any of the males on the sidewalk as she walked, humming softly to herself, pausing only briefly to look back at the house she had just departed. Where to now? She thought to herself with a small sigh as she looked around. All that action really got me in the mood... how about the Dojo... She decided as she switched directions and followed the familiar route

Ayame glanced at Aya with a bright smile as she spoke, waving her off as if she had given him a huge compliment. "Now, now! There's no need to be timid. We can get you some tea immediately!" Ayame told her looking up . "Tohru!" He yelled, Kyo glaring at Ayame. "What the hell are you doing? Tohru doesn't get off of work for another ten minutes! And even if she was here she isn't your servant!!" Kyo yelled at Ayame who merely sighed, ignoring the shouts. "Very well... Momiji would you go get us some tea?" Ayame asked the only one of his younger cousins who was mobile. Momiji looked up at Ayame for a moment, smiling and nodding. "Mmmmhm!" He said, jumping up and running out of the room to grab the tea as if nothing were wrong with him. Even if the pain wasn't shooting up his side as he landed.on his feet he said nothing, smiling brightly instead. Some people might be considered foolishly stubborn for jumping around with his bruises, but in truth, Momiji just didn't care. He couldn't sit still, pain or no pain Momiji jumped because he had too much energy, he was a rabbit after all. Kyo watched him go, "He may be dumb enough to do whatever you ask but you realize he'll drop it right?" Kyo told Ayame, still glaring, but Ayame seemed to not even know Kyo was talking. "Haru put a hand on Ayas shoulder from his position. "It's not your fault Aya." Haru told her, not that she hadn't been involved, but she hadn't 'pulled the trigger,' so to speak. Haru's voice was practically drowned out as Ayame cut in, waving his hand again in large motions. "Now, Now... it's nothing to worry about, we are quite informed you know." Ayame told her, seeming to miss the point completely. At her greeting Ayame seemed even more pleased than before, it that was possible. "Well Well looks like the delicate flower has bloomed, please if there's anything you need, feel free to ask me!" He told her, though Kyo knew better than to think he would actually do anything for her, he would just get someone else to to it. "My what a beautiful face you have, though it's only expected! When ones names begins with an 'Aya,' you are only doomed to be blessed with unnatural beauty." Ayame sighed as if it truly were a great curse, acting nothing like the brother of a boy who laid in a hospital bed or a cursed member of the Sohma family. "What the hell are you talking about?" Kyo asked Ayame, an expression of pure incomprehension on his face as he stared at the snake. How can a person like him even get through life? Kyo thought to himself, Is that even possible? He wondered, but of course the answer was right in front of him.

Haru nodded at her confirmation, "That's right, well known at our school actually, he was the student body president himself like Yuki is now..." He told her, doing it for Aya's benefit, though unfortunately the other 'Aya' heard him as well. "Oh! Yes well, please, there's no need to hid your applause. After all...everyone ones what a legend I am! It is I, Ayame Sohma, who paved the road for future generations and took positions of student body president to places it had never gone before! It's only natural that my adorable younger brother wanted to follow in my footsteps!" Ayame laughed, continuing as Haru rolled his eyes, they had all heard this before. Haru glanced at Aya with a slightly apologetic look. "Don't worry... that's not why he agreed to be president." He said softly, if Ayame heard he wasn't paying attention as he leaned over the table towards Shigure. "Do you remember the school trip camping up in the mountains?" Ayame asked Shigure who nodded, resting his head on his knuckles to give him a dark and mysterious look. "Of course I do You, Hatori, and I all shared a tent. It was so cold that night..." Shigure trailed off as his counterpart continued. "It was, i could of died if it weren't for you..." Ayame started before he was suddenly cut off. "Would you two shut up?!" Kyo asked irritably, "I don't need to hear your horror stories, so take them elsewhere." Kyo grumbled, Ayame looking as if her eyes about to continue before Aya's compliment on his gift changed the subject. "Do you really think so?!" Ayame asked happily. "Well I hope so! Because I got him a whole box!" Ayame said, pulling a large box out of somewhere with shirts of various colors piled into it, on the back of each one was embroidered a different phrase, but all to the same degree of 'I love my brother.' At that point Momiji reentered, holding a tray that looked about as big as he was with several glass cups. "I... got...it..." Momiji panted as he focused on the tray, trying not to drop it. Haru closed his eyes, this was an accident waiting to happen. Somehow Momiji manged to get the tray to the table, the tray falling and a few drops of tea spilling onto the tray but no more than that. "You idiot, why didn't you just say no, or come back out when you realized it was too heavy?" Kyo asked Momiji aggressively. Momiji bit his lip, sitting down to look at his cousin. "Well...you're all hurt... and...i got it right? I do a good job?" He asked, in response two voices answering simultaneously. One was Ayame who quickly complimented the rabbit, "Ah Thank You Momiji, it would of been such a hassle if i would of had to go get it." He stated dramatically. The other was Kyo who wasn't amused, "What do you mean we're hurt?! You're wounded too! Or have you forgotten? That damn snake is in perfect condition to go get his tea himself!" Kyo yelled at Momiji, "And YOU shut up!" He yelled, the last part directed at Ayame and his response to Momiji's question.

"Kyo..." Haru spoke up, his tone warning him to stop talking as he narrowed his eyes at the cat. The idea had been to NOT mention their wounds, especially Momiji's. Before Kyo could begin to say anything Shigure cut in, seemingly unaware of the circumstances. "Now now Kyo!" Shigure cut in shaking his head. "Really, every time you start yelling my house breaks, please try to maintain your anger..." Haru glanced over at Aya, ignoring Kyo's shouted reply back with a sigh. "It's not your fault Aya." He told her, "Things happen...It wouldn't of mattered who it was, if anyone...Yuki's only lived out of the house for a couple of years...Akito's always been playing a game with Yuki...and when we fall in love...well the circumstances are usually similar. It's no ones fault but our own." He told her, it was a bit of a twisted statement but it was as true as it got. While they didn't ask for it it was there curse that caused this, not anyone on the outside, not an innocent girl in love. "We just can't stand the temptation I guess. Yuki knew the consequences...but even Hatori's been the victim of love..." Haru sighed before falling quiet again, Momiji taking over as he saw her tears. "It's no use lying, didn't you know that animals can sense weather, fear and lies?" Momiji asked, Haruing having a feeling he made that up as he watched his cousin hold his hand out in front of him, holding two fingers up as he counted off each item. "And since I had an animal spirit in me there's no use lying." Momiji told her with a small smile as he tilted his head, listening to her. "Whatever Yuki's feeling... i'm sure he doesn't want you to suffer. If you suffer it only makes him suffer more so... you have to try to smile for his sake, ok?" Momiji asked her with wide eyes, having no idea how close and yet far from the truth his statement was at the moment as he smiled. "It's ok Aya! Everything will be ok!" He told her as he handed her a cup of tea. "It's not as good as Tohru's... there wasn't enough so i had to make some and i mixed them together... but shhh!" Momiji told her with a wink as he handed it to her and fell back against the wall.

.Open the lid..Is it safe to look back?. .Upon memories scattered by time?.

{ "This place is enormous!" Pulling instinctively from mother's protective grasp, the brunette-haired female scrambled towards double-plated windows situated above several Boeing 727's parked around Tokyo's International airport "Airplanes?" Misora whispered softly, pressing forehead against cold glass separating interior from exterior elements located outside. "Honey? Is something wrong?" Brushing loose strands of tinted reddish-brown hair, Misao raised one slender eyebrow in astonishment. 'My daughter isn't behaving like her usual self. Could the planned trip to America be placing unimaginable stress upon Misora?' Stress. Her beloved flesh and blood suffered from bouts of chronic fatigue. It wasn't difficult to see how chaotic atmospheres changed even the calmest person into a bundle of wrecked nerves. "Mi-chan! Come back here!" Waving aside worried hunches, the russet-haired woman jogged over to the window over-looking Terminal B "Yes...." She answered blankly, reaching out to trace slender fingers across smooth crystal "Those machines parked outside are airplanes...and we are going to fly in one today." Misao explained, averting sapphire hues to the floor below. "Flying? How can such a large machine fly without problems?" Misora questioned, although she secretly wondered why her mother behaved suspiciously. What was going on? Why did she appear stressed out? What did Misao mean earlier, when she said 'Adios tradition.'? Why had father gone to America without telling them? Thousands of questions flooded her mind, until one in particular popped out "Why are we leaving home?" Misora muttered, turning from excited to serious instantly "What is going on? I don't want to leave Japan forever! I love it here! I have friends...and other cousins living near me. Why the sudden change?" She whined, catching her parental authority off-guard. 'I should of seen this coming.' How could Misao explain their situation without spilling to much information at the same time? How could she make Misora's transition to a new country painless? 'I can't.' Change was never easy. Change could only be lessened by exposing ones' child to no stress, but how would a normal parent react to knowing their child might be sentenced to death? 'I won't allow my daughter to die over a tradition.' Dropping both hands downwards, the brown-haired female fought bitter tears from emerging "Because..daddy has found a better paying job in Los Angeles. That is the main reason why we are moving cross-country." Misao explained lowly, veiling desperation beneath a blanket of calm lies. How could she lie to her own flesh and blood? Yet, how would a mother allow an only child to die? 'Misora might not be afflicted with the Tennyo genes...though testing is inescapable.' No. Simply no. Her daughter deserved every right to live on this world. Swallowing back despair, the elder woman managed to smile warmly down at Mikage Misora "Don't worry....you'll like America eventually." Reassuring words left Misao's scarlet lips, although ten-year old Misora pretended her mother's words were more, then petty white lies designed to protect.}

"Misora turns sixteen today. How long has it been since we moved down to Los Angeles?" Reaching left hand outwards, Misao pulled down a calendar illustrated with various landscapes belonging to twelve different months. Flipping open the page to June 18th, she couldn't help tracing each individual square filled in bold numbers counting down days towards a particular holiday. Why did June 18th hold significance for her? Wasn't June just an ordinary month? Slender fingers traced across glossy paper, painted red lips etched themselves into a noticeably bitter smile as Misao leaned against velvet-lined seat cushions. "Of course that month holds significance for me." She whispered beneath her breath, glancing briefly at the empty living room. "Some would call me cowardly to run away from home... who wouldn't make the ultimate sacrifice to make sure their daughter lived life to the fullest?" Unfortunately most mothers in the Mikage Family preferred losing daughters, to losing economic privileges that came along with eliminating potential threats. 'The Tennyo residing within a select few. I've been present in those rituals carefully designed to test for reacts to certain items belong to the great mother.' Shuddering slightly, Misao turned away from the calendar sitting innocently beneath morning sunlight. Darkening sapphire hues fell half shut in concentration as the brown-haired female forced herself into a standing position. Breakfast needed to be made for Misora had school today. "I can't let trivial matters cloud my judgment." She muttered softly, closing the agenda and pinning it against white-washed walls. Forcing shimmering eyes open again, Misao called up stairs to her sleeping sixteen-year-old daughter "Wake up! You don't want to be late for school again!" Education played an important role in her daughter's young life, after all school provided temporary refuge from reality. How could she have optimism? How could a mother used to seeing death cope with deep-seated guilt? Inhaling deeply, the elder woman decided to focus her mind on making eggs, bacon and butter-milk pancakes for Misora's increasing appetite. Teenagers needed extra nourishment for growing muscles, although her delicate daughter wasn't much of an eater. "I'm just cooking to entertain myself." She stated lowly, pushing several buttons to start the coffee machine. "I'm coming down in fifth-teen minutes!" Faint music drowned Misora's whimsical voice, but at least the adolescent female was awake on time to catch today's school bus. "Alright! Don't take an eternity in that shower or else...cold food doesn't taste good!" Misao shouted, glossy lips curving downwards in a serene smile. Peace.Warmth. Security.Family. What more could she ask for in life? 'What about my own family? What about Mitsuki and her two fraternal twins?' Scooping two spoonfuls of powdered coffee into the filter, she couldn't help pausing in mid-air to remember Aya and Aki's first birthday celebration. Poor kids. They had been born in a world filled with blissful ignorance. At least Aki Mikage could live his life without worry of being killed, but Aya Mikage was a different story. She should have turned sixteen by now, yet what fate had befallen upon the energectic blond-haired female. 'Could she be dead?'

"School is such a bother." Misora whispered beneath her breath, pausing momentarily to inhale aromas wafting through the opening. The pleasant scent of freshly brewed coffee mixed in with breakfast caused her stomach to roil around hungrily. 'Mother doesn't cook Japanese food anymore...just the typical meat, eggs and frozen waffles she buys weekly.' What made her loving mother change customs so fast? Grabbing blue jeans and a white blouse bordered with light blue trimming around the collar, the brunette-haired female dressed herself for school. "I really don't want to go back there." She muttered wordlessly, flashing back to classes filled with unfamiliar strangers. Every single period, every single lunch break offered nothing, but coldness for a girl used to hanging out daily in public gatherings. Cousins, social events and freedom had all played a vital role in shaping Misora into the out-going, perfectionist, soft-spoken girl who now seemed to wither noticeably. "I'm losing my own identity." Pressing trembling fingers against cold glass, Misora pulled in a ragged breath of fresh air. Gaining composure took several minutes, until Misao's voice ushered her into action "Are you done yet!?" Extending right hand towards her dresser, the adolescent female brushed curly reddish-brown hair with a boar bristle comb to settle down the frizz. "Almost ready!" She called out loudly, hoping her voice would carry past plastered barriers. Settling the brush back on the dresser, Misora scrambled towards the door with back-pack hanging loosely over one shoulder. Wrapping copper-colored knob, she found herself standing amid familiar territory. Light beige paint shimmered briefly underneath dappled sunlight streaming from the skylight above, several family portraits hung neatly from decorative nails hammered into supple plaster. Family memories forever trapped in time. Memories of a time when pink cherry blossoms littered asphalt streets. Instead, the scenery in Los Angles contrasted sharply against Japan's rural beauty. Metal, brick and smog mixed in together to form a city scape wrapped in smoky fog. "Mi-Chan!" Her mother's voice brought Misora abruptly out of glorious daydreams belonging to past events now lying dormant within her subconscious mind. "Come on. Breakfast is getting cold." Sighing in desperation, the adolescent scampered downstairs to find Misao picking delicately at the food sitting before her. "Mother what is wrong?" Leaning back-pack near the outer wall, Misora leaned slightly forward "Something is bothering you. I'm sorry for taking forever...but finding an outfit took careful planning." She confessed, making attempts to cheer her mother up. However, the red-haired female merely glanced sideways avoiding any direct eye contact "Nothing is wrong with me." The usually soft voice took on an edgy tone "Today's date has significance...despite how ordinary celebrating a birthday is....I think you should learn the truth behind my motives." Misao explained, motioning towards the sofa. What was going on? What truth did Misora need to know? Tightening fingers around the cold blue coffee cup, she began speaking seriously to her sixteen-year-old daughter "Leaving home was a tough choice for me...and I know adapting hasn't been easy. Although....you should know that our family harbors secrets that no one knows...except for those who witness what occurs behind the scenes. The Mikage Family was established through a fusion of human and Tennyo blood. Absurd right? You must be wondering how an angel would produce half-tennin descendants right?"

'Our family harbors secrets?' What kind of secrets would her own blood hide? What horrors would Misao tell? Swallowing harshly, the brunette-haired female found herself frozen in place. Unable to move. Unable to react. Not even able to muster enough strength to speak. Why? Why did her heart ache badly? "What is going on mother? My chest is beginning to ache and I don't understand anything." She confessed at last, pulling herself together until Misao's facial features turned sullen. 'Please! Please give me enough strength to remain calm! Give me enough strength to maintain my composure!' Taking one last sip of cold coffee, the auburn-haired female locked serious blue eyes against widening maroon ones. "Hmm..." She parted dried lips in order to speak "There is no easy way for me to break the news. Although...I'd prefer you hear the secret from my mouth..rather then an outside source." Misao acknowledged, pushing away the half-empty cup filled with residual obsidian-colored liquid. "Our family carries an ancient curse stemming back to ancient times. Could be fact or could be fiction...yet...our female relatives carry a slight chance of inheriting supernatural powers belonging to a woman named 'Ceres'. Grandpa Mikage assured every member with daughters that if left to roam freely, the Celestial Maiden would bring about the end of our blood-line. Hence...why every time a girl turns sixteen...she is tested for a possible reaction. I...I'm well aware of what our relatives would have done to you...which is why I chose to run...instead of taking a chance and losing my only living daughter." Cutting the conversation short, the elder female allowed each word to fester in mid-air. Some parts of the idle warning were hard to stomach, while the rest of her story seemed rather absurd. A fairytale many ignorant girls failed to believe in until it was too late to escape the never ending circle of death. "Is it true?" Misora whispered in disbelief, leaning against concrete walls for support. Unbelievable. Absolutely unbelievable. Angel blood running through her very veins. A family that based their reason for murdering on a poor girl harboring the Celestial Maiden? Could she have been killed? The reason. The most valid confession for running away from a blood thirsty family. "My own family would kill me....just for being completely different." The young woman stammered, slapping one hand to her forehead. Of course. Grandpa had always scorned her and Aya...although thinking about it now...what fate had befallen her cousin? "Mom! What about Aya-Chan?! Tell me...do you think she suffered the same cruel fate?" Misora asked, shooting several questions out at one time. "Aya..." Misao uttered blankly, twisting sideways to gaze at a family portrait of Misora and her two cousins riding three ponies together. "I wish I knew....my older sister Mitsuki broke off contact with me." She managed to smile bitterly "Her views are twisted....different. She prefers economic benefits to having a family." Shrugging shoulders casually, the woman stared coldly from beneath shaggy bangs. Although anyone wise enough to take a closer look at Misao could see regret reflected. Forcing back a lump in her throat, Misora slammed both hands against the wooden table "I don't care!" She spat passionately "I don't care what dangers I'll face! I want to visit my cousins in Japan! Every day is a struggle to fit in....trying to be normal isn't working for me." The brunette-haired female pulled in several breaths of air "Please...let me travel alone as my birthday wish." Misora begged, even though Misao stared back in astonishment. "You would risk your life just for a brief visit?" She questioned her daughter who nodded without flinching "Eh...I'm rather hesistant to let you go alone...but I suppose a birthday trip to Japan wouldn't harm you." Glossy lips curved upwards in a gentle smile as the brown-haired female squealed joyfully. At least for the time being, the Mikage curse seemed to have been forgotten in a time of blissful ignorance.

'All these terrible mistakes I've commit. All these terrible assumptions made by my own troubled mind. How will my beloved sister ever forgive me?' The blond-haired male mused silently, falling back into endless memories. Why? Why had he acted irrationally towards Aya Mikage? How could he sit nonchalantly on the bed, while his own flesh and blood roamed the streets at night? Wasn't he supposed to be worried? 'Ceres.....The Celestial Maiden hidden inside Aya's body. Her display off attitude, power and presence really made an impact....especially those words directed at me. Whether...I want to admit my mistakes or not...she is right. All this time.....my world came in shades of black and white.' His world wasn't colorless in a sense, but Aki's earthly views had been severely distorted by violence. Severely distorted by his own stubborn nature. He had secretly known all this time Aya was different somehow, although coming to terms that she wasn't entirely human became hard to stomach. 'You fail to see what my true colors are.' Ceres' wise words came up from the depths haunting Aki until he found himself nearly pinned against cold walls. 'Can't move a muscle now. Am I scared of treading upon dangerous territory?' Strong words jumbled themselves inside the blond-haired youth neither coming out nor disappearing into his voice box. Why couldn't he move? Why couldn't he speak? Time froze for the adolescent male and only Kagura Sohma's movements interrupted blanketed silence. 'Of course you are scared. Admit it already Aki Mikage...the boy who ran off school grounds with tail between his legs.' Harsh words produced mixed emotions inside of him. Bitterness. Fear. Shame. Self anger. Sadness. Each chemical combination produced by his aching body could form one dangerous formula in which the youth could lose total control. No. He didn't want to convert into an animal without restraint. He wanted to be Aki Mikage. The mild-mannered boy everyone looked to for help. He wanted to be the beloved brother his sister would come running to for advise. He didn't want to find himself alone. After all, his attitude shattered potential friendships with Haru, Momiji and possibly Yuki Sohma as well. 'Never to late to change.' His rational mind whispered motivational words 'Listen to the voice of reason. Listen to Kagura Sohma...even if some of her words fail to make absolute sense. Pulling in several breaths of fresh air, the sandy-haired youth shifted uncertainly, indigo-colored hues flickered upwards meeting gestures that signal faint irritation coming from the zodiac boar. Why was she irritated? Was it because the mere mention of his wounds sounded sarcastic? Apologizing mentally, he parted dried lips in an attempt at logical conversation "I understand." The male replied softly "I've made many mistakes this particular week....but that means I will be able to learn my lesson." Indeed. A lesson had been learned here. Or had it? Was he making idiotic excuses to make more fathomable errors? Shaking strands of shaggy blond-brown hair away from his facial features, he managed a sincere smile "Yes....I'm only human." Scrunching facial expression into a small frown, he added quickly "Err...partially human." Even if he lacked powers, that still did not excuse him from fault. 'The Sohma Family right? Each individual I've met....harbors some form of hidden sorrow. They are mysterious....just like my own family. However....Aya seems to know more about them...then me. Maybe being separated from the truth is better.' Perhaps, his own flesh and blood would spill the beans eventually.

Foolish. He would be foolish to attempt an interrogation with Aya. He would be an utter idiot to take an enraged Heavenly Maiden. 'Two souls in one body. Different appearance. Different attitudes.' Black and blond mixed together in a complicated genetic code. 'Programed for destruction...yet I wonder what type of pain Ceres felt seeing her grand-son about to strike out at his own sister?' She must have gotten mad. She probably felt anxious enough to threaten him into submission with explosive words. 'You are one idiotic fool....but at least stupidity doesn't run through your veins.' Shoving aside troublesome thoughts, the blond-haired male straightened upright, focusing blue-violet hues skywards "I'm just making assumptions." He responded blankly, flickering eyes from the ceiling towards family portraits hanging neatly from copper-colored nails. Stumbling forward, the youth reached out tentatively, running tender fingers across one picture involving his father and Aya posing together. Happy faces and wide blue-grey eyes expressing vivacious love. 'The other's used deception...but your father...and sister love you very much. Even if dad is long gone....he wouldn't like seeing our sibling bond breaking into nothing.' True. His extend family could reject him. They could attempt tricks of humiliation, but the people who mattered most were his immediate family. The very foundation which kept Aki Mikage sane. 'My nuclear family.' Sure, Mitsuki lived. Although any mother who cared for their child's welfare wouldn't vanish without leaving a trace. Perhaps, she had forgotten about him and Aya. Perhaps, the elder female found herself another man to replace his deceased parental figure. 'Whether your mother wants to recognize her children or not....that is her problem. As Kagura Sohma stated before...karma will bring justice someday.' Digging short nails into plated glass, Aki reflected upon inner feelings. Warmth swirled with love. Love for his own flesh and blood. The type of loving family affection which kept every individual glued together. The unbreakable between two faternal twins. "I suppose living in blissful ignorance is better then facing the truth." He mumbled lowly, letting limp hands fall back down. Twirling away from frozen memories, the young man analyzed his own words. "Eventually...truth would spring out one way or another." It could have taken days, weeks...even months to know his 'family' kept themselves hidden in the shadows. 'You would've been living in blissful ignorance....while your dear sister struggles with reality. Had your attitude not exploded...fantasy would keep blinding your sense of judgment.' The blond-haired male stumbled towards his computer chair, before pulling the leather office seat close to him. Sitting down carefully, he smiled warmly up at the brown-haired female "Eh...don't fret." Chuckling lowly, the male tilted his head sideways capturing another dynamic emotions coming from Kagura. She really had a way of speaking to people and making them see their errors. Although, their earlier conversation had been tense, over-flowing with mangled emotions they had come out unscathed. At least he was safe for the time being, unless common sense decided to take a back seat again. "I don't think beating me up will happen anytime soon." Aki reassured her, momentarily reaching out to turn his laptop on. Silence fell heavily in his room, as the sandy-haired youth waved after Kagura's departing figure. How could one stranger open his eyes? "After this mess is fixed....I need to get myself into anger management." He huffed softly, finding himself alone with only brief echoes resonating in his mind.

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{ "Mommy! Mommy what happened?!" Seven-year old Miku squealed, dropping her necklace in the process. Twisting head entirely around, the raven-haired child blinked golden orbs. Why did her mother look pale? Why did Ceres have blood caked upon delicate facial features? "Village suffered an ambush." She answered simply, pushing wooden door aside to bring in Mikage's semi-consious body. Scarlet stained his usually starched tribal outfit, several gashes covered his tanned cheeks, forearms and stomach as if he had been in a battle against daggers and spears. "F..father...." Cooing softly, the little girl scampered over to her father's motionless body already feeling tears building within. 'He can't die! Please don't die on me!' What would happen if Shiso Mikage died from internal bleeding? What would happen to their fragile tribe who was already suffering from multiple attacks sprung in the course of one week? How would Mother Ceres react to being a widow? "Will...he live?" Miku questioned, glancing over right shoulder in time to see her mother crushing herbs against granite. Flat stone held in both hands, the raven-haired Tennyo thinned scarlet lips "I won't allow him to die." She replied "Your father should heal in no time with my combination of herbs and magical powers." The woman reassured, gathering the pulpy plants and walking right back to Shiso's muscular body. "I'm such a disgrace." He hissed between cracked lips, opening glazed hues to gaze into two faces expressing concern "If only...." Mikage paused in mid-sentence, forcing his battered body into a seated position. "If only what!? Ceres cried out, lunging automatically forward to stop her husband from injuring himself even further "Don't shame yourself." she whispered, making mental assumptions just by looking into troubled indigo hues. Humiliation, loathing and shame rolled off him like ripples appearing on a lake's placid surface. Why? Why would Shiso feel shameful of having his wife step in to protect him? Could it be the social stigma? Or the macho attitude proding him to be independent? "Look at me!" The young man sneered "Battered! Bruised....by low life thieves! You were able to slice everyone to ribbons with a single flick of your hand. If only....I had your heavenly powers." He hinted noticeably, averting violet-colored eyes to the dirt floor below. "I'm happy that father is okay." Miku blurted out, interrupting her parent's tense dilema momentarily. Ceres on the other hand worked quietly on applying herbs to every single wound inflicted upon Shiso's weak body. 'He wants power.' Giving mortal humans power differed vastly from transferring abilities to another tennyo. Most human males would die if their immortal mates passed on super-human powers. 'Giving him part of my powers would benefit us both. Stronger men produce vigorous off-spring...but I want Mikage to travel safely. I never want his fragile heart to be wounded ever again.' Softening critical honey-colored hues, the Heavenly Maiden went against better judgment. Leaning close to her brooding husband, she gingerly pressed both hands flat against his chest "Then I shall grant you just a bit off my power....so that your kind heart will never suffer again....so that..you maybe protected from harm." Eyes falling shut, Ceres' slender body glimmered different shades of white mixed in with red. Eventually, the Tennyo symbol appeared on Mikage's chest before melting into his bruised skin. "Arigato." He thanked her briefly, wrapping strong arms around the raven-haired female. }

'Did I make a mistake?' The Celestial Maiden pondered quietly 'Maybe I did commit the fatal error of giving him partial powers.' Golden-brown orbs narrowed viciously as painted red lips curved downwards in a smile full of mockery "You are foolish..Aya Mikage. Extremely foolish to believe simple love would mend every broken relationship in the world. True love comes with an expensive price tag in which....everyone comes out bleeding.' She sneered at her descendant, knowing how every acidic word tore into the blond-haired female. 'I thought you were asleep.' Aya answered bluntly 'Why are you always bothering me with nonsense words? Aggressive questions turned into sharpened knives for the crafty Tennyo, who dodged blows with mere giggles echoing inside her conscious mind. 'Seems.....I've hit a sore spot' The raven-haired angel replied, changing personalities in the blink of an eye 'My words aren't to be taken lightly. Tread with extreme caution....for any little mishap could turn your life around dramatically.' Ceres warned harshly, crossing both arms defensively around herself. Tread cautiously? What did Ceres mean? Could she be planning an attack upon Akito Sohma? 'You aren't planning on using my body to attempt another round at the Sohma's life right?' Swallowing harshly, the adolescent girl shuddered visably. She didn't mind harboring the Heavenly Maiden inside her, but keeping a murderous female didn't sit well with Aya Mikage. This body belonged to her. Her thoughts. Her feelings. Her heart. They all belonged to one unique girl right? Or was the half-celestial nymph falling into self-denial? 'No one controls this body except me!' Every part of her soul wanted to believe false promises, but reality dimmed Aya's hopes. Ceres, the Celestial Maiden continued to be unpredictable. 'After all this time...I'm still unable to predict her next movements.' Shaking troublesome thoughts, Aya smiled lightly despite internal struggles directed against herself. 'Truly an image of myself.' Centuries ago, Ceres had been exactly like her descendant was now. Stubborn. Passionate. Kind. Qualities that were difficult to find in heaven for Tennyo's had tendencies to be snobbish of Earthly creatures. 'Love was my downfall...hopefully...Aya won't go through the same heartache I suffered.' Sealing herself in a protective shell, she relinquished control back to the teenage-girl. "Me acting timid?" The blond-haired female questioned, relaxing slightly for Ceres had seemingly gone to sleep "Tea sounds nice...although I...." Breaking off in mid-sentence Aya averted gray-blue hues away from Ayame Sohma. His bright smile. Dazzling demeanor. Charming wits. An almost perfect image of Yuki Sohma. How could the silver-haired male act this confident when his little brother was completely alone. 'Yuki....I wonder how you're doing?' He might be in the same position, she had left him in. 'Hatori acted coldly towards me....why?' No amount of pondering could provide a clear answer to her dilemma. Hatori Sohma was mysterious. Calm and calculating at the same time. What the doctor thought during her presense would be only known to him. 'Hatori is dangerous.' Ceres responded simply, once again reminding Aya of how hopelessly entwined both girls were 'Stay away from him.'

Warnings. Nothing, but false red flags Ceres rung in order to discourage her from visiting Yuki Sohma. Why? Why would the Celestial Maiden begin pointing accusing fingers at Hatori Sohma? What did she see in the dark-haired doctor? Perhaps, his lack of emotional response? Or his mysterious nature that gave away no emotion, no weakness, no clue as to what Hatori could be scheming? 'Hatori isn't that scary.' The blond-haired replied mentally, finding herself back in the small room once again. Drab-colored walls, smelly disinfectants and one lonely bed housing Yuki Sohma's battered body come into view. Grinding teeth harshly against each other, Aya Mikage battled savagely to regain control of her emotions. Breaking down in front of the Sohma's would be embarrsing...but they would also know just how severe Yuki's injuries were. 'Remember...your promise Aya? No words over the main house visit would ever escape from your lips.' Yes. She remembered the promise made in front of Hatori Sohma. She remembered telling the doctor that she wouldn't be a burden for his ailing family. Keeping promises proved difficult, for the Sohma's possessed an uncanny ability to discover hidden feelings almost instantly. What made them so keen to emotional perception? Could their animal spirits play crucial roles? 'I should focus more on controlling my own emotions.' Indeed. Her most important task involved keeping shattered emotions from being spilled into the open. Pulling in ragged breaths of fresh air, the blond-haired female tilted head sideways. Did Ayame Sohma always treat people as servants? Raising slender eyebrow upwards, Aya shook her head slowly "I..." She tried speaking, although any words that had formed in her throat quickly jumbled together. Shame and sorrow. Both feelings fought for traction inside their owner's trembling body. "I see. Your informed...." Aya broke in the middle unable to continue any further for the zodiac snake continued to shower her with compliments. Beautiful face? How could he call her beautiful? 'How am I going to look beautiful with exhaustion weighing me down?' Brushing off his motivational words, the adolescent female couldn't help wondering if the silver-haired male even realized his brother laid mute in a house infested with nightmarish people. "Sorry...Haru.." Aya turned to him, soft blue eyes landing on the white-haired Sohma "I try to stop blaming myself....but the feeling is always the same. I should be able to control myself...this is my body after all." She whispered, falling silent once again as Haru explained Ayame's past history of being school body president. "Eh...well..Yuki does make a good president." The young woman agreed, remembering her first time in school. The silver-haired teenager had been extremely kind to her. 'I'd never except Hatori Sohma to sleep in the same tent as Shigure and Ayame. Maybe...he had no choice?' Fighting chuckles, the wavy-haired tenshi stopped momentarily to see Momiji Sohma balancing his tray precariously "Ah! Momiji....need help?" Aya offered, already getting up although Ceres' inflluence froze her in place. "Can't move...." Widening hues narrowed instantly, upon Kyo mentioning wounds. Hurt? Was Momiji Sohma injured? Why hadn't he said anything before?

The orange-haired adolescent obviously spilled the beans. Momiji Sohma's injuries were supposed to be kept secret, but why? 'Injuries are nothing new to me.' Ceres whispered mentally, rousing herself from complete isolation. She had been silent during Aya's brief conversation with the zodiac cow. Listening carefully for clues as to confirm hidden fears. Clues that would reassure the Celestial Maiden that Hatori Sohma planned something clever behind Aya's back. 'I know.' The blond-haired female answered curtly, focusing on her own grim reality. Sixteen-year old adolescent harboring an ancient spirit, family trying to murder her and having Yuki Sohma injured. That wasn't the outcome she wished for. She hadn't wished for the zodiac rat to be hurt because of her. She wanted him to be free. To love without restraint. To melt into society without fear of being rejected. 'Nothing...but wishful thinking.' Lacing fingers together, Aya stayed absolutely silent letting Haru's words sink in. His statement sounded twisted like a game sick game of cat and mouse. Akito being the cat, pulling all the strings...while his helpless opponent attempted tactics of evasion. Shoulders trembling with barely restrained anger, the half-tennin parted glossy lips to speak "Why blame yourselves for falling in love?" She questioned, trying to decipher Haru's self-blame "Hearts can't be controlled....that much..I know." The blond-haired female explained, knowing her own words matched closely in description. Love. The abstract emotion no one could touch physically. Intangible. Dynamic. Constantly changing. Love could come in many forms. Could take many shapes...and could bring about calamity. 'Disaster.' The Tennyo hissed, remaining keenly observant as Haru mentioned Hatori being a victim to Cupid's cursed arrow. 'Hatori in love?' How would an emotionless man like Hatori Sohma fall in love? That couldn't be right? Or could it? Lips stretched out, Ceres picked apart every word. She analyzed different means. Analyzed different ways Haru could have structured his sentence. 'Bias observations of mine...yet Hatori doesn't seem to love anyone.' She concluded at last, treating the doctor's feelings as mere objects to be thrown aside. "You know nothing!' Aya screamed mentally, clenching hands together in a vain attempt to keep fragile composure together. "You are a keen observer...aren't you Momiji?" The young woman questioned, wiping unshed with shaky hands "I promise to smile for Yuki-Kun. I'll be strong for him..for myself...and for Aki." Glossy pink lips formed an uneasy smile, while one hand took the cup of tea Momiji offered. Bringing the glass to her mouth, the young woman found the tea quite to her liking. "Doesn't matter if you mixed in different flavors...this tastes really good." Aya complimented, closing sapphire orbs in frustration. Ceres wanted to come out again. 'I don't have a choice.' Tightening fingers around the tea cup, the blond-haired female relinquished control to the over-zealous angel. "You were hurt the entire time...Momiji." She stated seriously, shimmering golden-brown orbs scoured the blond-haired Sohma for any signs of pain. He appeared lively enough, although Ceres wanted to make sure his wounds were taken cared off. "I came here to complete my promise...now who goes first?" The raven-haired female questioned, shooting severe glances at the two older males chatting away in the background "Noisy as ever." Commenting curtly on their odd behavior, Ceres approached Haru Sohma 'Do I even have enough strength to heal them?' She questioned mentally, yet the answer would remain unknown until she attempted using Celestial powers upon the Sohma's worst injuries.

Kagura watched him intently, her eyes only inches from his. They say eyes were the windows to to the soul, as she looked into Aki's eyes she saw confusion, regret, and fear. What he saw... she wasn't sure, but probably not the gil who had skipped into their house a short time ago. Her breathing, which had been loud and strained before as she tried to control herself softened as she sighed, looking away and standing up. There was no use getting mad, or irritated, he didn't know what was going on. While he was all of their age there were many areas he was still a child. Things he was ignorant about, and would be better to remain ignorant about. She thought about Yuki again, images from the past and present blurring together in her mind as she shook her head to push them away. "It's alright to be scared." She said after a second,as if reading his thoughts."You should be scared, and you'd be a fool not to be." She told him with a small, ironic smile as she glanced over her shoulder to look at him. "What happened at the school... Haru's as much of a martial arts freak as Kyo is... we've all been studying for almost as long as we could walk. No matter how good you are or aren't the changes of you losing were through the roof, you're just lucky that Kyo stepped in when he did." She told him, laughing a bit as she thought about it, and about Kyo. "As for the rest of it... you'd be a fool not to be scared. You'ved pushed your way into something a lot bigger than any of us, and it's not all pretty." She told him turning to look at him, her eyes cold but true as she met his eyes. "People have gotten hurt, people will get hurt, and people are hurting. Some wounds will heal quickly... others will last for a long time. You are human, but some of us aren't. Human nature isn't always pretty, and neither are those that lay beyond this world." She told him, turning to look out the window. She had no idea why she was talking about this now, to him. He had no idea what he was talking about, then again did she truly know either? Just because she was a part of it, and effected by it none of them knew why, or how it had come to past. She looked away, "Things aren't always going to be clear now that you've started this journey, so don't make it harder by being something you're not. If you can at least stay true to yourself then no matter how messed up things get you and those around you will have something to hold onto." She encouraged him, closing he eyes as she took a moment to think, to let him think. "Oh... and one more thing." She told him, her voice and aura changing yet another time as she opened her eyes to look at him with a fleeting smile. "If you have something to say, don't be smart about it, just say it... of you never know when my hand might just slip when it's only a couple inches from your face." She told him with a smile, glancing down at her hand, and flexing her fingers to herself. Although she was all good and smiley again she became aware of the pain in her hand from hitting the wall with such force.

Kagura shrugged it off, she could take care of it later, with the condition everyone else in the family was in she was almost starting to feel left out anyway. "Oh it was definitely better." She smiled as his remark, as she wagged her finger, but once the clock begins to tick you can't turn back the clock." She told him with a smile as she jumped down onto the bed beside him, putting an arm around the boy. "Well THAT'S a relief." She smiled as she turned to look at him. "I really don't want to add a trip to the hospital or morgue onto your sisters to-do list and I'm too cute to go to prison, plus I'd never get to see Kyo that way. As much as I try he still doesn't realize his emotions and wouldn't come to see my in jail." She pointed out, for a moment wondering what WOULD happen if one of them were sent to jail. Would Akito just leave them there to suffer of would he bail them out? Would he continue the New Years festival without one of the members? After a second Kagura knew the answer. If that were the case, and going to jail was a way out of the curse the Sohma family would have a lot more people in prison right now. Even behind bars you couldn't escape you're fate, their family had a hand in everything which meant that the head and god of the Sohma family of it could pull plenty of strings to get his zodiac returned to them for his banquet. Kagura chose not to comment on his anger management comment, though she agreed it was a good idea, especially after today, if any of them had actually considered anger management about half their family would probably be in it right now. In fact people have suggested it to her many times, along with Kyo, Haru, Hiro, and of course there was Akito himself. It was more of an inside joke really, that their whole family was in need of anger management. However, the Sohma family was left to reign free. Hence Yuki, Haru, and Kyo right now... She added to herself, as she felt the mood beginning to drop she jumped up of the bed, at the same time burying the thoughts as she began humming to herself absently. "Look out for your family, protect what you have, because you never know when it will fall apart," Kagura warned him lightly, though her words were true. Not that I really have a right to talk about something I know nothing about, after all, our family has never been a whole, we were in pieces from the beginning. She thought to herself as she continued humming, pulling out her bracelet form no where and starting to work on it though she didn't look down at her hands once, instead she continued humming to herself, taking a last look at the pictures on the wall before winking at him and skipping out the door without a backwards glance. It was the way all Sohma's lived their life, the only way to keep them alive, though occasionally it came back to haunt them.

"It's not my fault that you always use cheap supplies to fix your house so it breaks so easily!" Kyo growled at Shigure who looked almost bored as he listened to Kyo, which only irritated Kyo more. "HEY! Are you even listening to me?" Kyo asked as Shigure glanced over at Kyo, "Of are you still talking?" He asked, Kyo opening his mouth to respond when Shigure cut him off. "That would be no good at all." Shigure told Kyo, making it clear he had been paying attention, or enough to respond. "Because you break my house so often that i would be broke of I got the expensive stuff your talking about. So unless you plan to pay for it..." Shigure told him, though he knew he was preaching to deaf ear, as he decided to ignore Kyo, turning instead to a story Aya was telling about his time as president and how he been allowed to wear robes and gaudy jewelry over his school uniform. "And so that is how I, Ayame Sohma, leader of the school and idol for presidents to come was allowed to wear was allowed to wear robes over my school uniform." Ayame finished, Kyo fuming. "Who the hell cares? You must of had the dumbest school ever because no body would believe those stories you make up!" Kyo shouted, despite Shigure's plea for Kyo to calm down. "Come now Kyo, you're just jealous because you wanted to wear tiger fur to school aren't you? If you want i can go talk to the president myself, him and I were quite close you know!" Ayame laughed loudly as Shigure smiled. "Indeed... Kyo in tigers fur, i sense an ironic bit of poetry in it." Shigure agreed, not having to expand further, Kyo throwing his hands in the air. "What the hall are you guys talking about? There's not a chance in hell I'm going to wear any of that stuff, i'll stick to my school uniform like NORMAL people!" Kyo told them, Ayame already moving onto Aya as he smiled, "Worry not, If it's tea my lady wants, it's tea she shall get." Ayame told her, somehow appearing in the spot beside her from the other side of the table. "Why i know everything about my darling brothers life, did you know one time he tried eating an orange before he took the peal off? He had a loose tooth at the time and it came right out. He was so surprised he couldn't do anything for a couple seconds before he started to cry." Ayame told her, Haru watching Ayame. While it was impressive the snake could tell so many stories of Yuki's childhood when he had never been there, it was still just that, the past. He could tell cute little stories about a young Yuki, but Ayame knew little recent events of his brothers life, and he knew it. It was the reason that Ayame was at Shigure's house so much. After all, as close as Ayame and Shigure were the highlights of their time together wasn't at Shigure's house, that's for sure.

Haru shrugged as Aya's comment. "That wasn't you." Is all he said before glancing back at Ayame and more of his ramblings about being the student body president. "Yes well, it's only natural my younger brother is a good president, he had my blood running though this veins after all..." Ayame pointed out, Haru laughing slightly to himself. He doubted that was the reason, though Yuki's looks had n't hurt anything. He had done it for himself and blood had nothing to do with it because they had completely different governing styles. "I do admit that night was a long one." Shigure told Ayame, once again referring to the camping trip although Kyo had yelled at them a few moments prior. "Well that was hardly MY fault." Ayame laughed as he leaned closer to Shigure. "After all you're the one who kept me up all night." Ayame finished with a cool smile, Shigure laughing. "I wouldn't say it was all..." "Both of you SHUT UP!" Kyo yelled, once again making a move to get up, his body pulling him right back down. "Kyo... just calm down, you're going to hurt yourself more that way." Haru Told Kyo calmly, the cat turning to glare at him. "Easy for you to say! There's pissing me off!" Kyo told Haru. Kyo knew he could of turned it on Haru, told him this was his fault anyway so he had no room to talk. However, for some reason Kyo seemed to be more conscious of this situation, leaving it out mostly for Aya's sake as he glared at the cow anyway. Haru felt it too, in fact he had almost been anticipating Kyo's accusations, surprised at his self control as both of them turned to look at Momiji carrying the trays. "'s...ok...igotit..." Momiji told her in concentration, his words slurred and incomplete though the message for across. Haru could almost imaging the pain Momiji was in, enough for the scrapes and bruises to pain his side. While Momiji's point it wasn't as bad as their may be valid, his size, and in experience made it about as bad to the two experienced fighters who were used to it and couldn't move without pain shooting up their entire body. Ayame's words, thought perhaps louder than Kyo's seemed to be drowned out by Kyo's declaration. Haru narrowed his eyes at Kyo. "Idiot..." He muttered under his breath, not meant for anyone else to hear as he cursed Kyo's insensitivity to their company, here he had been proud of him for holding back moments before. Damn it Kyo... Haru cursed, glancing at the small rabbit who seemed to ignore Kyo's statement as if he hadn't heard him or he had no idea what he was talking about. "See! I got it!" He huffed with a bright smile as if nothing were wrong, brushing his hands on his legs, leaving darker stains on his pants, his hands obviously wet, though from spilled tea or perspiration it was impossible to tell.

Haru watched Aya for a second, at her question looking away. He supposed she couldn't understand, or perhaps she could begin to understand but couldn't truly comprehend. After all, she had seen what it caused, so perhaps she could understand a bit, but unless you were one of them it was impossible to comprehend the emotions, when this happened not to you but to the one you loved, even when it did happen to you, the pain it caused the one you loved. they knew the risks, and they allowed themselves to fall in love, aware it would hurt the other. It was an unforgivable sin that desperate, lonely hearts reached out for. "No, they can't be controlled... but one thing you have to understand is we're all wounded, and it's better for the wounded to remain that way when to pull an innocent bystander, one that you love, into our pain and wound them as well." He tried to explain. Even with Rin... There was no way around it , she was still one of the zodiac but when someone you love in wounded and you could of prevented it, you begin to understand it's your fault for letting it get to that point. "We're born to be alone, it's better for us to stay alone than to hurt someone else..." He told her, with a shrug that mane his wince, all the same trying to brush the topic off as if it were nothing, the area of focus easily directing it's way back to the silver-haired male in the middle of the room. "My what delicious tea! I seems to sink right into the soul! Now if you just added some of Thiiiiis and thaaaaaaat and mixed it for [/i]x[/i] amount of time it would almost be int he same league as mine." Ayame sighed, clearly not giving away his secrets as Shigure sighed. "I wish you would make me some of your tea sometime." Shigure sighed as he took a drink of the tea, no one complaining as Momiji handed cups around. "Well maybe if you come over sometime i could make you some for a price." Ayame told Shigure with a grin as Kyo grunted, this time taking a sip of the tea instead of yelling, seeming to of realized he had made a mistake now refused to talk. How long it would last no one knew, but it seemed to only confirm the idea that Kyo had said something he wasn't supposed to. Momiji came back to sit down beside Aya, a cup of warm tea in his hand as he smiled, taking her question more as a compliment as he listened to her. "Good!" Momiji told her with a smile. "Because you don't know when Yuki will come back! So if you're always smiling when he does he'll be sure to see your smile!" Momiji grinned, humming to himself as he took another sip of the steaming tea, smiling at her compliment. "Thanks! it's green tea with a him of Vani...." Momiji started when suddenly a different voice cut him off. Momiji froze for a second, turning to look at where Aya had been sitting, instead seeing Ceres.

Momiji jumped up, mostly out of surprise as he shook his head. "No, No... I'm fine REEEEAAAAAAAAAALLY!" Momiji told her with a smile, though where wasn't much point in arguing at this point after Kyo had let the cat out of the bag. Momiji glanced briefly at Kyo, who seemed to be wearing a strange expression on his face, then to Haru, who looked just as surprised, though because of his wounds, hadn't moved at all. "Ah, and at last she had made her appearance." Ayame sighed dramatically, once again somehow besides Ceres side. "The fair maiden who radiates the beauty of heaven itself. You are indeed as beautiful as to be expected and more. This is as much an honor for me as I'm sure it is for you." Ayame told her gracefully, even in the presence of an angel his self-confidence didn't waver. Not that anyone else expected it to. He was so used to spirits and the beyond that angels were nothing. Shigure was still sitting where he had been before, his eyes glimmering as he watched the rabbit try to deny Kyo's loud mistake. He glanced back at Kyo, who was still in his same position, huddled in a small ball in the corner, his eyes latched on Ceres. He had seen her before, he remembered seeing her in the hallway at school from a distance. He had seen her before, and yet now seeing her so up close he felt something stirring inside of him, something he didn't understand. The zodiac spirits laid dormant in their body, to be awakened only on three occasions for all members. The most obvious ones where when they were hugged or under stress. However there was one more occasion that the Sohma family could sense their spirits and that would be, in 12 cases the banquet. During the new years banquet the member retained their form but could feel the zodiac spirits within them. For the 13th case, Kyo's case it was when he altered back into his true form. In general no matter what the occasion the spirit there, and that's it. They could take their form, or feel them there but that's all it was. For some reason now Kyo could feel the cat spirit stirring deep within him, like nothing he had felt before. Perhaps it was like attending a banquet, but he wouldn't know. What he did know was he could feel the spirit suddenly restless inside of him, a sense of recognition and pain that didn't seem to belong to him running through his body, as he quickly looked away What the hell is going on?This has never happened before... Kyo thought to himself, these glimpses to emotion he was getting... they didn't belong to him, yet none of them had ever shared emotions with the spirits. Was this really the cat? Was the cursed cat calling out? And if so why? Kyo looked away, remaining quiet as Ayame continued on. "Are you here to help our courageous fallen comrades? How noble you are my fair angel of the skies." Ayame said dramatically, Haru rolling his eyes a bit, ignoring the others to look at Ceres. "Only if you're up to it." He told her, seeming to be the only one making sense at the moment.

.Open the lid..Is it safe to look back?..Upon memories scattered by time?.

‘Are you civilized Aki Mikage?’ His logical mind inquired mellifluously ‘Would you lose control again? Would you be capable of raising another fist at your beloved sister?’ The flaxen-haired adolescent listened intently to the mental voice asking several shame-filled questions ‘Of course I’m civilized! I’m not barbaric at all!’ He acknowledged ‘Don’t you think today’s lesson would serve me well? I made poor decisions based on a whim! Look…at what is going on with me now. Kagura is here, although I’m still left alone to deal with bothersome emotions.’ Why? Why did Aki feel lonesome, even with the brown-haired Sohma accompanying him? Why did he feel completely distant from his own family? Particularly his younger twin named Aya Mikage? Perhaps, the teen-aged youth underestimated his unscrupulous behaviors? Maybe he missed the rift beginning to separate him from his closes blood relative? ‘Your loneliness stems from shame…...doesn’t it?’ Unfortunately, his inner consciousness hot straight on the mark. He felt lonely. He felt shameful for his actions, although tremendous fear played a significant role in his seemingly frozen state. Yet, what was there to be fearful over? Didn’t he have faith in Aya’s forgiving nature? Did he have doubt in himself? ‘The only one I fear is myself.’ Aki swallowed hard, recalling his father’s persistent saying ‘Fear is one’s worst enemy.’ So, feeling such emotions made him an enemy against himself? Running slender fingers through tousled blond hair, the young man became keenly aware of his own emotions reflected from within. He could cover up his feeling with flowery-sounding words. He could attempt building an invisible mask across his face, but Aki knew his eyes deceived the internal battle between courage and fear. “There is no use in hiding what I’m feeling inside.” The young man finally answered, finding Kagura’s intense stare mere inches from his own. Cheeks tinting slightly, Aki couldn’t help feeling slightly exposed. His emotions. His actions. His battered and bruise body had been pounded by every element known to man. He dug his own tomb by using blissful ignorance as an excuse to fight against Haru Sohma. He had attempted justifying reprehensible actions as good, rather then looking at the harm his own stupidity could bring. Indeed the sixteen-year old adolescent lacked maturity in areas, the Sohma’s were already crystallized in. He didn’t know what it was like to be cursed from birth. He didn’t know what it was like to be rejected by normal people. Aki couldn’t fathom isolation. In fact, the blond-haired male hated being ignored or forgotten. “I’m beyond scared….terrified is a better word to describe what I’m feeling inside.” Aki admitted lowly, pressing left hand against his chest. Rapid heartbeats and shallow breathing gave away his body’s internal emotions. How could anyone not feel frightened? Especially of the sedated anger lingering nearby. Always waiting to rise up unannounced. Always waiting to over-take Aki’s self will. ‘I’m in control.’ He hissed mentally, knowing how difficult it would be to tame inherited tendencies. Although, Aki was determined to change or his attitude would turn potential friends into bitter enemies. “You’re right…I’m quite lucky Kyo stepped in. There is no doubt in my mind Haru would have killed me if both Sohma male’s hadn’t interfered on time.” The youth muttered meekly, flinching noticeably for the events of his fight in the school yard were quite fresh. Aki would never forget how the white-haired Sohma stepped on his side nor would he be able to forget when Momiji tried reasoning with the enraged zodiac cow. Frankly, the blond-haired male owed his precious life to both males. But showing up at school to express gratitude would prove an impossible feat in itself.

Meager displays of appreciation would not repair shattered relationships, Aki needed to formulate his next decisions wisely. One wrong word. One wrong move might crumble his entire world once again. ‘Back to square one?’ His logical mind conversed softly ‘I don’t think you need to dig a bigger hole for yourself. Do you even remember today’s events? Do you recall how every inappropriate word pushed Haru Sohma to the brink of insanity? He didn’t want you getting involved in his familiar affairs, though Momiji might’ve spilled the beans….if you hadn’t been skeptical.’ The blond-haired adolescent brushed aside personal concerns until later. ‘I know! I know! My behavior at school wasn’t the best.’ He pondered mentally ‘I needed a wake-up call.’ Shimmering indigo hues diverted themselves back upon Kagura Sohma’s face, her wise words registered in his brain and filled Aki Mikage with a source of hope to grasp on. It wasn’t late. He could change. That is if he was willing to admit his faults. ‘Change doesn’t involve one issue.’ The adolescent reminisced his father’s words of wisdom ’Before focusing on other problems, one must first tackle their issues of pride. Pride is good if used positively, but it can also be bad if one uses it in negative context.’ Swallowing harshly, he nodded in acknowledgement “In essence…I made hell for myself by way of ignorant actions.” Aki replied, averting his fragile gaze to rows of still life photographs hanging motionlessly ‘Human nature isn’t always pretty.’ Her words were brutal, but completely honest. Humanity had a way of changing dramatically. Sometimes for good, other times for bad. Humans and animals. Both struggled for survival. Both killed for food, although the thin line separating need from pleasure grew distinctly blurry. “I agree with you there.” He answered, leaving out his desire to point out Ceres’ disturbing behavior against him. Perhaps, the grand Tennyo had a reason for behaving savagely? ‘Would she kill me?’ Aki remembered icy golden hues gazing angrily at him. He remembered reddish-white fire rendering his mother’s glazed vase into pieces of burnt ash. She did have the capacity to kill, just like he had the capacity to harm his own flesh and blood. Ceres and Aki. Founder and Descendant. Same, yet distorted into different angles. Why was he thinking of the Celestial Maiden in the first place? Shouldn’t he concentrate on more important family matters? Lacing fingers together, the sixteen-year old male smiled sullenly “I don’t think Aya needs to run herself ragged worrying over funeral costs.” Aki chuckled lightly. The images of being interned in a hospital with dozens of nurses pricking him with intravenous needles did not appeal to Mikage Aki, nor would being stuck in a morgue. He was only sixteen years old and in prime medical condition. “Prison. No one wants to lose freedom that is for sure. The sight of those small cells shown on television….” He trailed of in mid-sentence, his words partially gone from the sudden surprise of finding Kagura Sohma’s arm around him. Aki blinked twice as if trying to comprehend the brown-haired girl’s dynamic nature. In reality, he didn’t feel like being a physiologist at all. He decided to enjoy her brief embrace, before trailing shimmering blue hues around the room. He couldn’t help feeling lost for his journey had no map telling him what direction to take. Wisdom. Perseverance. Patience. Those three important elements would help him over come life’s obstacles. ‘I hope so.’ The road was a challenge Aki Mikage would undertake alone. As a person he needed a major lesson in maturity. Discarding his prior thoughts of anger management, the blond-haired youth watched the brown-haired Sohma hop gracefully of his bed. Shifting uncomfortably beneath the oppressive silence, Aki opened his mouth to speak. Instead of words, nothing escaped from his parted lips. Why? Why did his vocal cords refuse to make sound? Protect his family? ‘Isn’t Aya the only remaining blood relative who hasn’t abandoned you?’ His mind reminded the young man of Aya’s dependence on him. Even separated by conflict, their hearts still remained united as one. “Don’t worry. I’ll do a good job guarding the most precious people close to me.” Aki reassured, waving his hand and wishing good luck to the departing russet-haired female.

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‘Ceres?! Why are you eager to suppress me again?’ The blond-haired female exclaimed mentally ‘Aren’t we one and the same? I know sharing a single body doesn’t bode well for either of us, but remember I’m the rightful owner!’ Aya muttered, trying in vain to remind the Heavenly Angel who was in control. ‘Why me?! Why carry a stubborn spirit around?!’ Why? Why did she relinquish her consciousness to Ceres Mikage? Would her presence bring about good? What if she struck out at the Sohma Family? Would Ceres have the capacity to murder them in cold blood? ‘Have you forgotten my promise?’ The raven-haired female whispered bluntly ‘Your body may be filled with power, but it is not ready for the type of healing I’m about to do.’ Painted red lips curled automatically into a dour sneer ’Aya…..it is no use attempting to hide what you are feeling for me. I sense loathing coming from your interior. Not only does internal hate swirl within that heart of your’s, there is accusation as well. I see…..you think I’m a murderer.’ Brilliant golden-brown fell half shut ’I only kill in defense or whenever….someone threatens me.’ She was wasting valuable time in explaining motives to her mulish host. Not only did Ceres waste precious energy scolding the blond hair female, but with every accusation she lost a piece of herself. Why let harmless words get to her? Why let an immature girl accuse her of dastardly deeds? ‘’How could you murder your own husband!?’ Burying wearisome beliefs into the most obscured corner, the raven-haired female observed Momiji Sohma with troubled eyes. Why would anyone want to keep their lesion hidden? Hawk-like orbs scoured the younger male for any visible signs of discomfort, even small facial grimaces would key Ceres to how he felt at the moment. Biting lower lip uncertainly, she found herself unable to find any apparent scratches on the rabbit’s physical form. Maybe her concerns were invalid? ’Or my senses could be failing me.’ No. Her assumptions might be numbed by weakness, but Ceres wouldn’t let her Celestial Powers fail her now. Momiji had wounds, otherwise Kyo Sohma wouldn’t have yelled at the boy for carrying the tea tray all by himself. “No use trying to fool me.” Ceres answered placidly, although anger entwined itself into her voice. Who was the fury directed at? Haru? Kyo? Shigure? Her annoyance singled out Ayame Sohma as the prime suspected. What kind of inconsiderate man was he? Indeed, he and Yuki were two different beings. Just like she and Aya shared many differences. One brother appeared more considerate of other’s feelings, then the silver-haired male ever could. ‘You’re getting upset again.’ The blond-haired female mumbled lowly, speaking up after two minutes of intense silence ‘Upset at Ayame? I can see why.’ Aya observed ‘Just remember to keep your temperament down.’ Tucking strands of straight hair behind one ear, the Celestial Maiden resigned herself to calming down. Getting angry at Ayame’s idiotic behavior would only harm, her physical being. “I know your hurting Momiji.” She replied softly, before flinching as the silver-haired male appeared on one side of her. Blinking startled golden hues several times, the raven-haired woman stared intently into the snake’s graceful facial features. He was charming. He was handsome. Except, his boisterous nature made him undesirable. How could Yuki be simplistic, while Ayame oozed enough self-confidence to make even the most timid person on Earth proud? Ceres didn’t understand nor did she want to. “It is an honor to meet someone of your caliber.” The Tennyo answered bluntly, while every single word in her sentence dripped with unconcealed sarcasm.

Why did he aggravate her? Was it his pompous temperament? His distinctive way of placing unpleasant words in her mouth? ‘I dislike people like him.’ The Celestial Maiden ruminated quietly ‘Foolish! I’m acting foolishly in front of everyone else.’ She scowled internally, letting strands of glossy black hair fall loosely over one shoulder. ‘How does Aya put up with bothersome humans?’ Indeed, how did the sixteen-year old female deal with intolerable people on a daily bases? Could living with a brother have socialized Aya Mikage to the dynamic world of human beings? ‘3000 years reincarnating into different descendants has that effect.’ Truth be told, the Heavenly Maiden had nearly become desensitized to the suffering of humanity. Once upon a time Ceres fell madly in love with a human, though his dastardly actions ruined the way she viewed life. To her life was short. To her life meant nothing, but survival. To her living on Earth was the same as dying a living death. ‘This strange feeling blooming in my chest? What is it? I feel like someone is watching me closely.’ Pushing negative thoughts aside, the obsidian-haired Tenshi raised her head abruptly, shimmering golden-brown orbs narrowed in suspicion. ‘Who is watching me?’ Entwining slender fingers together, the Tennyo traced each individual face in the living room, until lively amber hues fell on Kyo’s huddled form. ‘The orange-haired teenager from school? Could he be the one I pushed into the lockers?’ His intent stare only unnerved Ceres to the point, where her defensive posture became to apparent. Body stiffening and fine hairs standing erect, the young maiden didn’t understand the sudden influx of emotions. Why? Why did she feel sad? Why did she feel as if something was missing? How was Kyo Sohma familiar to Ceres Mikage? He wasn’t her descendant. He wasn’t her blood relative. He meant nothing to her, so why did her heart bleed? “I…don’t understand.” She spoke hoarsely, struggling to keeping her voice from rising out of control. “These alien emotions are new to me.” Nothing essential right? The feeling would be just another unimportant matter. Maybe the orange-haired adolescent sought conflict? Maybe his earlier comment on Momiji had rendered him unable to even speak? Still, the way he gazed at her brought several scenarios back from the brink of extinction. ‘Don’t you remember? The same feeling of devastation upon killing Mikage? The same pain of losing something familiar….the pain of being forgotten?’ Brushing obsidian strands of hair aside, the Celestial Maiden diverted her questioning gaze, from the brooding zodiac cat to the annoying silver-haired male seated on the opposite side. Raising a slender eye brow in Ayame’s direction she felt the sudden urge to wring his neck until every last sound escaping him vanished. However, choking the zodiac snake would be murder. She didn’t want to murder anyone. She didn’t want anymore nasty surprises befalling the Sohma Family. ‘Despite the infamous burden I carry around…these people have opened their hearts to me and Aya.’ Pulling in a ragged breath, the angel parted glossy lips “What else did I come here for?” Ceres questioned, obviously annoyed by Ayame’s forward question. He probably didn’t realize how hard a task, it was to face his family. ’He doesn’t realize how terrible I feel. Doesn’t he realize…I’m the one who nearly killed Yuki and Akito?’ If Yuki hadn’t intervened on time, the zodiac god would have been reduced to mere ashes. Grinding teeth together, the raven-haired female stood up hastily on wobbly legs failing to cooperate. There was work to be done. She couldn’t let weaknesses nor emotions prevent her from accomplishing the task of healing three ailing Sohma’s. “A Tennyo isn’t entitled to help anyone, but I can’t sit idly by knowing what really happened.” Ceres finished her response, locking emotionless eyes with the silver-haired male “Also stop calling me fair angel…it’s insulting.”

‘I’m no angel…..I’m just a devil wandering Earth without purpose.’ The young woman pondered quietly, automatically wrapping trembling fingers around her tea glass ’I barely drank from the cup.’ She noted, although food and drink weren’t on the agenda tonight. Ceres settled the full mug carefully on the coffee table, being exceptionally gentle to prevent hot tea from spilling out. “I’m ready.” The raven-haired woman reassured, focusing golden-brown hues upon Haru Sohma’s battered form. Folding both arms together, the Tenshi surveyed each individual gash engraved into the ox’s visible skin. ‘To think Aki Mikage started all of this. What a foolish boy…..he thought fighting Haru would bring him answers, instead stupidity nearly laid claim to his life.’ Aki Mikage. Aya’s twin brother by birth and blood. The elder male assigned with the task of keeping his younger sister safe. He failed miserably, in his task as guardian. ’I can’t imagine what Aya must be feeling now.’ The adolescent’s ignorant nature propelled him headfirst into challenging Haru Sohma without measuring possible consequences. What was he thinking? Aki wasn’t a skilled fighter. He didn’t even know how to stand up for himself and yet troubled ensued because of him. ’He learned his lesson…at a high price.’ Ceres observed, dragging shimmering orbs over Momiji, Kyo and finally to Haru. “Let me get this over with.” Walking around the stout coffee table, the raven-haired female kneeled in front of the white-haired Sohma. Extending both hands forward, she gingerly pressed warm palms against Haru’s broad shoulder “Don’t worry…..healing will not hurt at all.” She explained “Although….side effects may include warmth, tingles or chills.” Everyone reacted different to a Heavenly Maiden’s healing ability, some healed quickly while other’s would take longer depending on how severe their wounds were. ‘Half my energy was drained already….healing Yuki Sohma took a huge chuck out of Aya and now…I’m going to use up my strength.’ Tossing dirt on troublesome concerns, the obsidian-haired Tennin manipulated dormant Celestial powers into appearing as dim reddish-white flashes surrounding her hands. Had Ceres been at full power, she would have been able to erase every gash on Haru’s body. ‘Better little…then nothing.’ Shutting eyes in concentration, the angel focused on healing the ox of his worst wounds. Yet in reality she wasn’t completely satisfied leaving her work half done, although most of the zodiac male’s wound appeared better beneath the dim light. ‘Can I heal his lacerations more?’ The maiden wondered silently ‘No…healing him fully would deplete me of energy and leave the other two Sohma’s without attention.’ What about the dark-haired family doctor? Wasn’t Hatori Sohma in charge of his own blood relatives? If so, then why was she doing all the work? ’No one asked me to heal the Sohma’s….I took on this task by myself.’ Even supportive words failed in soothing Ceres’ dilapidated nerves, but why was the Heavenly Maiden nervous beyond reason? Wasn’t she doing her job? Wasn’t she doing her best to help the injured Sohma’s heal? None of the suppositions made sense at all, instead the true motive behind the Tennyo’s frantic state laid in what Hatori Sohma told her descendant earlier. What did he want with Aya Mikage? Did the doctor have something planned? “I’m almost tempted to stop Aya from going back to the main house.’ Easier said, then done. Her host was quite stubborn in certain aspects and the blond-hair female wouldn’t believe Ceres until she found herself cornered. “There.” The raven-haired female stated, removing her hands from Haru’s shoulder “I can’t heal every injury on your body, but the anguish should have vanished.” Hopefully, her efforts wouldn’t be in vain. ‘Some would say I make a lousy nurse….although I can’t help believing in this family the most.’ Grabbing hold of the couch with slender fingertips digging into the fuzzy surface for traction, the obsidian-haired female climbed wearily to her feet.

Utter exhaustion wrapped Ceres in a smothering mantle of heaviness that threatened to wear her down to the very bone. Why did she feel this tired after performing a habitual chore? Healing came as second nature for the Celestial Maiden , so why would using heavenly powers debilitate her? ’Without the Mana….I won’t last long.’ Shoving disturbed thoughts aside, the raven-haired female flickered brownish-gold eyes from Momiji to Kyo Sohma, who huddled in the corner with burgundy eyes averted somewhere else. Who should she restore to health first? Momiji? Kyo? ’I know Momiji would protest if…..I attempted to heal him first. The boy is very self- sacrificing , although he should think about himself first and foremost.’ Tucking strands of obsidian-colored hair behind one ear, the Tennin analyzed her words carefully. Dissecting each terminology slowly, the young woman shook her head in sudden shame. How could she give advise, when every action Ceres did opposed everything said? Thinning glossy lips into a sullen line, the black-haired angel forced herself to walk instinctively towards Kyo Sohma, though Ceres first made one short stop next to Ayame Sohma. ’What are you doing?! You are the last person on Earth with any right to speak !’ Her logical mind screamed in vain, attempting several underhanded tricks to convince Ceres from speaking her mind ’I can’t stop myself now.’ Indeed. She couldn’t be stopped. She couldn’t be persuaded to turn back, especially when one lonely silver-haired youth laid in darkness without being able to speak. Did Ayame even know what state Yuki lay in? Did he even care? Had the male even set aside time for visiting his forsaken younger sibling? Cocking head sideways, the Tennyo gazed into Ayame’s golden eyes “Seems to me your brother’s younger years are still imprinted in that head of yours…but I wonder what future memories of Yuki exist? Do you have a close relationship with him? Have you even thought of visiting the poor boy…who is locked within himself?” She questioned, knowing her words boarded on the edge of dangerous territory “I sense an incredibly large rift between the two of you….but believe me…Yuki needs you now more then ever before. Don’t allow your own arrogance to destroy the sibling bond between Yuki and you…make an effort to at least visit him. I’m sure he will appreciate and eventually accept that he isn’t alone.” What was she doing? She had no right to interfere in Ayame’s personal business. It was up to him, whether he wanted to bridge the tremendous gap between his brother and him…so why did she even stick her nose into private family affairs? Was it because Ceres cared? ‘I don’t care.’ The raven-haired female reassured herself mentally ‘My words mean nothing.’ Maybe Aya’s heavy influence pushed the Tennin into becoming softer or was it her own gentle heart trying to restart again? She didn’t know for sure, but it didn’t matter anymore. After all angels should never allow themselves to mix in with mortal humans. ‘To late now.’ Aya Mikage had already raveled herself into the Sohma Family, now the only way to escape was expulsion or in the worst case scenario erasing memories of her time with Yuki Sohma. ’It’s going to be painful…if it ever comes to that.’ Swallowing harshly, the young woman resumed her walk, after speaking briefly with the zodiac snake. Only Ayame Sohma knew in his heart if he would follow Ceres’ wise advise or cast it aside as unimportant news. Taking one brief glance over left shoulder, the Heavenly Maiden turned away from the scene. It was time to heal the grumpy orange-haired youth, although she wondered what type of temperament he would display in her presence. ‘His eyes were latched on me earlier…’ Strangely enough, the same feelings of sorrow and sadness wedged themselves into the Tennyo’s heart, while increasing recognition of something long lost. ‘I simply don’t understand.’ Pursing lips together, she began humming a faint song her eldest daughter Miku composed whenever chores were present. “All right…let me see your bruises.” Ceres stated quietly, giving the mysterious cat freedom to choose.

Last edited by Śḫἵяὰṋŭί on Thu Jan 20, 2011 2:58 pm; edited 1 time in total

Kagura watched him carefully, his face was somber, remorseful. She felt sorry for him. He was confused, and didn't know what to do.What do you do when you suddenly get thrown into this situation? She asked herself as she looked down at her hands which were working away on the bracelet she had been working on since she had gotten here. None of them, none of her family had even been in his situation now, they had never been thrown in because it was all they had ever known? Is it worth it? She thought to herself, was it better to have a normal life and have it torn from you, or to grow up never knowing the happiness of family and childhood. Neither is a good option.. She thought to herself in an effort to avoid the questions, the question that she didn't want to think about. "You know it's ok..." She told him. "Even if you're terrified, anyone would be in you're situation, even the bravest." She told him, her hands stopping on the hemp as she slowly looked up at him. "The fear of the unknown, and being alone does that too you, I mean that's what's the worst right? You don't know what will happen, afraid you''ll always be alone..." Like us She added to herself before glancing over at him. "I mean I'm not going to lie, in a way you made sure you are by pushing away the ones who WERE there for you." She told him, as if not realizing, or caring, just how anti-supportive her words were. "However even in loneliness you're not alone," because there's always someone who's lonely with you... She thought, deciding to leave that part out, at the same time thinking about Kyo. Kyo was lonely, and he refused to let anyone near him. How he did it, she didn't know, it was painful enough with the rest of her family around her, something Kyo he didn't have. However, that was his fate. "I mean, You have a chance to make all that disappear don't you? You have a chance to fight against the fate of you're family and make a difference." She covered up her original thoughts on the area. No need to pull more of our family into this, his mind still holds innocence that he should be able to keep. She thought to herself.

"I think you owe all of them you're life don't you?" She asked him with a smile. "You owe Momiji for standing up for you even though he knew the outcome. You owe my Kyo because he fought to protect you. even if he did go over board though, if it weren't for Haru nothing would of changed, i probably wouldn't of been here to stop you from attacking you're sister and we wouldn't be having this conversation now." She pointed out, "It's like... A blessing in disguise that you have to bring you're self out of." She thought about it as she played the the hemp in her hands which she seemed to be done with, any longer and it would be too long for a bracelet. "The best thing you can do now is be patient." She told him softly. "You're sister is carrying a heavy burden she shouldn't of had to carry," She told him gently. "One day I'm sure you'll find out, but don't rush that day, it's much deeper than you need to know right now and it's the reason you're sister is suffering and why Haru snapped this afternoon." She told him, knowing he didn't need to face the fact he had insulted a boy how had, in it's bluntest explanation, been abused since childhood. "Even through ignorance, all you have to do is be gentle and aware of the situation and things will work themselves out." She told him with a small smile as she twisted the hemp around her fingers, putting a knot at the end of it that was just enough to fit through the loop at the other end. She ran her fingers over the course texture of the bracelet. "Even if things by be rough right now if you put you're heart into it it will come together in the end... Like this bracelet!" She smiled, going from a completely somber mode to a cheerful mood. "It starts with Hemp and ends as a bracelet that has come to symbolize friendship and hope." She laughed, nodding at his comment. "Well good!! Then it's agreed you're going to makes sure I don't have to kill you. Don't think just because we had this conversation it'll save you if this happens again." She warned him, wagging a finger at him. As she pulled away and left her fingers gently let go of the bracelet, leaving it where she had been sitting a moment ago. She glanced up at the sky "I was going to give it to Kyo, but I think it'll do Aki good... besides I've already made Kyo 7 of them and hasn't worn one ones..." She sighed to herself in defeat as she shrugged, stopping and pulling her bag off her back and pulling out more hemp and starting a new one. "Well another one won't hurt!" She giggled to herself as she started walking again, though something Aki said came back to her. Prison. No one wants to lose freedom that is for sure. The sight of those small cells shown on television…. She stopped where she was on the the sidewalk, turning around to look at Aki's house a block or two away now. "Believe me... There's are prisons crueler than the ones on TV..." She said softly, not really speaking to either her or him. "And their sentences last longer than some murder charges..." She said softly before taking a deep breath and starting to walk again, humming to herself.

Momiji seemed caught off guard, not by her words but as if affected by tone. "I...I...." He started nervously as if not wanting to upset her any more, his expression down fallen as he sank back onto the floor, Ayame helping himself to the tea. "Come, Come now... What's with the down fallen face, have some tea it will cheer you up." Shigure said, for the first time seeming to help but still seeming as oblivious to the tension as Ayame, who was still up to his usual laid back composure, was as he put a cup in front of where Momiji was laying, Momiji sat up, turning to look at Ceres again, his expression soft again despite her harsh words a second ago. He gingerly took a sip of the tea in thought before he turned back to look at Ceres, still seeming cautious, but not as hurt as he had been a second ago. "You know...I don't want to be healed..." Momiji told her, his voice sincere. as she tilted his head, standing up and walking over to her, looking up into her eyes. "It takes energy to heal people, right? You're tired because you've already healed so many people...because of it you don't have a lot of energy left, that's why you're so irritated... You've already helped Yuki, now you're helping Haru and Kyo, just knowing you'll help my family and want to for me at your cost makes me happy, So please, don't worry about me." He told her with a bright and genuine smile. Haru shook his head, laughing bit in him position on the floor though his laughter was short lived as he winced and his laughed turned into a painful cough. "Haru!! Are you ok?" Momiji asked, running over to his cousin. Haru nodded as he forced himself to take a deep breath, and stop coughing. "I...I'm fine..." Haru assured him, though Momiji didn't seem convinced, "Did I say..." Momiji started concerned, Haru shaking his head, "It's nothing... it's just...." Haru was cut off by his cough for a second. "It's so predictable of you." He told him, Momiji's face showing nothing for confusion for a second before he smiled at Haru, moving aside so Ceres could get to Haru to heal him.

"Ah yes," Ayame laughed at her response to him. "I must Admit I have that effect on many people, it's nothing to worry about." He told her, obviously either not noticing, or choosing to ignore, her sarcasm. "After all, I have inspired awe into a countless number of people with my godly like looks!" Ayame cried dramatically, striking a pose in his seat, completely oblivious to the exchange going on between Kyo and Ceres. The cat met Ceres eyes and something shot through him, a pain and sadness. Though neither of those were unfamiliar feelings to him this was something different. What the hell...what's your problem? He thought to himself, referring to the zodiac cat. Nothing like this had ever happened to him. His zodiac spirit had never been anything other than a part of him, and from what he had talked to the others about it it was the same for them, not that he talked to them a lot about it. Still, at this moment the cat seemed strangely separate from him. The spirit had it's own emotions, it's own spirit. As he sensed Ceres moving on the emotions subsided a bit, taking a deep breath as a sudden gust of wind slid under the door and ran over his open wounds. Ayame smiled at Ceres as she spoke to him again. "Ah, I am sorry." Ayame told her, for a second seeming to actually apologize. "For someone of your standing, most heavenly angel suits you better." He added with a wink, before she could say anything Shigure cutting in on cut and changing the subject."You know what this tea reminds me of? It reminds me of the tea we hand when we went shopping in Tokyo, Do you remember that?" Shigure asked Ayame, obviously turning a blind eye to the conversation between the rest of the family and Ceres. "Ah it does, except if i remember right the the tea was a bit more... steamy." Aya replied, Shigure laughing easily at his response. "I think that's just because of the shop, Aya..." Shigure pointed out, Ayame laughing easily. "Oh well, sometimes things get a little out of hand." He said casually before another male voice cut into their conversation. "Just where the hell did you go to drink tea?!" Kyo asked them, past the point of trying to get up, realizing he didn't want to know and ignoring whatever Ayame said next as he turned his attention to Ceres who had moved over by Haru to heal his wounds. Haru blinked as he looked up at her as Momiji slid out of the way for her to take her stop next to him.

Haru nodded at her explanation, taking a slow breath as he felt energy flowing into him, a sudden from?[/i] He wondered to himself as he opened his eyes to look at Ceres. Her vision was focused, as if working to control the magic she used, She must of used a lot of magic to help Yuki... He thought to himself, wondering if perhaps even angels had their limits. Still seeing her now she seemed in her element. Despite what had happened to her she seemed to be doing what she had been made to do, and she looked radiant as she did it. Haru laughed to himself, the motion not hurting as much as it did before. In fact he could feel his body healing under the bandages wrapped around his body. He could been the wounds clotting, the sharp pains turning into throbbing pains. It was a strange feeling, feeling you're body healing at a pace that you could actually notice. It left his whole body breathless, as she finished Haru gasped for breath both in surprise and in need of the air his body had momentary forgotten to get. "Haru are you ok!" Momiji asked quickly, his voice lased in concern and Haru nodded. "Yeah I just forgot to breath for a moment." He told him, gingerly pushing himself up into a sitting position. His body still aching and pain still sparking randomly up his body, but it was surprisingly better than the seering pain that had plagued him a second ago. "I actually feel much better, thank you." He told her sincerely, he was obviously still in pain, they both knew that and looking at his wounds it wasn't hard to guess he was still in pain. Just as he looked like he was in pain though, he looked better, they both had sensed the energy she had used and his wounds weren't quiet as bad as they had been a second ago. "I might actually be able to go to school tomorrow..." He laughed a bit, "You know Hatori's not letting you go anywhere until he has a look at you." Shigure pointed out, randomly breaking from his conversation with Aya about the steamy tea shop. "Ah yes, Haru was there too, you remember?" Ayame asked Shigure, the two diving back into their own conversation before Ceres cut into their conversation with her cold words.

For a second Ayame seemed to be caught off guard, the words seeming to hit something inside of him for a moment. "It is indeed a tragedy that even the heavens have turn their eyes upon." Ayame said, though his tone was different than a second ago self confidence was still intertwined into his voice which still spoke with a dramatic edge. "For there was a time that Yuki turned to me, and it was at that time i failed as an other brother. Despite my mistakes I have came here as often as I can spare to strengthen our brotherly bond for I know one day my love which is stronger than any other will reach him!! Until that day I will continue trying with all my might as a brother!" Ayame declared, at some point having stood on his feet and having struck a dramatic pose with his feel apart, one hand on his hip the other out stretched in front of him. "Besides he did try to go visit Yuki!" Momiji cut in from where he was sitting beside Haru now. "But Hatori told him that Yuki was too unstable and it would make it worse becasue of what happened before or he would probably try to use some sort of violence that would make his situation worse." Momiji laughed a bit, Ayame sighing as he sat back down. "Yes... sadly i can't visit him yet because Hatori said so..." He said, for the first time he seemed to be doing anything that anyone else had told him to do. "But as soon as the doctor says I can see him I will be right there by my brothers side!" Ayame declared, not seeming to notice that Ceres had moved onto Kyo who had been sitting in his curled position as the pain shot through his body. Kyo looked up as her as she knelt down beside him, as she started humming a strong feeling of longing shooting through him, as if there were memories he couldn't remember and just beyond reach that were haunting him. At her offer he looked away, part of him wanting to push here away out of pride and as an escape from the emotions shooting through him, knowing if she moved away the feelings would dim. Still, just as the strange emotions were shooting through him he also sensed it was safe as he took a slow breath, moving so she could see the wounds he had been hiding in vain with a stubborn look on his face..

‘Ceres have you been angered?’ The sixteen year old adolescent girl whispered telepathically, rousing herself from tormented sleep ‘Take it easy on Momiji! He is trying his hardest to appear strong in front of you….don’t go around venting your wrath on defenseless Sohma’s’ Aya hissed lowly in warning ‘I’m not afraid of regaining control…if it means preventing more heartache from occurring.’ Gleaming grey-blue hues narrowed angrily, for the zodiac rabbit did not deserve to be spoken too in such a harsh tone. How could Ceres be so mean? Why was the Celestial Maiden suddenly turning into a devil? Did she not stop once to consider how each individual Sohma felt? ‘I really have a devil residing in me. She is an unpredictable creature….changing constantly like the sea. One day Ceres is peaceful….the next minute she is a demon hell-bent on carrying out her vengeful wrath.’ The blond-haired female muttered softly, knowing her words weren’t exactly discreet. Every single sentence coming out of Aya’s mouth only served as a constant reminder of how unstable she had become both as a person and as an angel descended down from heaven. ‘Aya…’ The tennin responding hesitantly as if having trouble with picking suitable words to counter-act her descendant’s offensive statement ‘I’ve been alive long enough to discern saviors from fools. Acting strong for the sake of covering up one’s weakness is foolish indeed…..’ She trailed of in mid-sentence ‘I don’t care what type of an act Momiji or anyone else pulls on me, my duty as an angel is to relieve pain…nothing more.’ Ceres finished her statement rather quickly, for reality once again served in slicing open scabbed wounds ‘You don’t understand me. You just can’t understand the larger picture.’ The raven-haired Tenshi lamented silently, all the while flickering golden-brown eyes back upon Momiji. His expression appeared downfallen. Even his cheerful voice had dimmed like a waning candle left in front of an open window. ‘What have I done?’ Ceres questioned herself ‘Was I made solely for the destruction of humankind?’ The Tennyo stayed frozen in place, unable to even move much less react to the apparent nervousness lacing Momiji’s voice. Aya was right. She did deserve the hard won title of ‘devil’. Maybe the Mikage family had a reason for murdering every time a daughter showed signs of having heavenly powers. No. Ceres was not a monster nor was she a devil. ‘Would a monster sacrifice her life energy in healing another’s wounds?’ Probably not, unless the deed benefited the healer. Swallowing harshly, she knew healing wounds would not earn heaven’s approval. It wouldn’t even erase her titled of fallen angel, but at least Ceres found great satisfaction in helping other….although at what price? The zodiac rabbit might be afraid of having the vehement fairy close to him, of course she wouldn’t blame him if he was scared of her. “Momiji?” The black-haired woman rasped hoarsely, her voice breaking at the sight of Momiji’ soft expression. He wore a cautious aura around him and to her utter amazement his words held no anger. She sensed nothing, but pure sincerity in his tone. “Do you even realize what you’re saying?” Ceres questioned, locking eyes with the zodiac rabbit “I will be honest…healing does take a great deal of energy….remember this is my purpose. Whether I’m tired or near death does not matter…..I will accept whatever consequences come to light.” She reassured Momiji, giving him a stubborn expression “However, no is not an option. I will heal you whether you like it or not.” The woman scolded lightly, her harden gaze softening over Momiji’s honest speech. ‘He really is a considerate boy. I feel absolutely terrible now.’ Trudging slowly forward, the Celestial Maiden ruffled Momiji’s golden locks “You’re a good boy.” Ceres complimented, vaguely reminded of her daughter’s sweet nature.

‘I’m dwelling on the past again? There is nothing available to change what has been caused, all I can do is move forward. Despite, the very fact…this day might be our last time spent in the company of the Sohma’s.’ The Celestial Maiden closed her eyes warily ’How did it come to this? How could brief happiness take such an ugly outcome.’ Was it destiny? Did the Sohma curse consist purely of rendering it’s victims helpless? Were they afflicted to the point of giving into Akito’s command? Akito. The very mention of that name sent disgusted shivers down Ceres’ spinal cord and she was well aware of the graphic images still engraved in Aya’s consciousness. ‘Blood. Scarlet painting one wall in a sickly sheen of red…..and one being willing to defend Akito against my retribution.’ Why had Yuki Sohma interfered? Didn’t he realize just how far gone Ceres had been on that fateful day? One more step. One more minute would have undoubtedly resulted in tragic consequences. “Sure.” The raven-haired female muttered, giving the zodiac snake one irritated glance “However, I fail to see where all their awe came from.” The Tennin huffed in annoyance, yet at the same time she was slightly amused over Ayame’s quirky antics. How one man kept his egotistical nature intact was a mystery for Ceres. ‘One odd mystery…I have no interest in solving.’ Moving strands of obsidian-colored hair from her eyes, the maiden found herself once again frozen in place. That feeling blooming inside, what was it? Why did pain make itself known? How could Kyo Sohma make such frightening feelings rise from the depths once again? ‘Anguish. Sadness. Longing. These emotions are nothing, but a bothersome nuisance! I don’t know what is happening to me….I don’t even want to why being near Kyo makes the pain in my chest worst.’ Did she really not want to know? Was running away an option? Shaking her mind free of troublesome worries, the black-haired angel moved quickly away from Kyo like a horse intent on avoiding contact with venomous snakes. “Stop calling me heavenly angel.” Ceres snapped bluntly “Titles make my skin crawl….plus fallen angels do not deserve to be called heavenly.” At the last part in her sentence, the Tennin uttered the words in a mere whisper almost hoping no one was paying attention to the undertone of wavering despair. She was not heavenly. She did not deserve the title for disobeying heaven’s strict laws. “Just call me Ceres.” The young woman leveled out her voice, daring to glance up as Ayame gave her his famous wink. ‘Get a grip!’ Pale cheeks colored themselves a light shade of pink, but quickly heated up as Shigure’s conversation over one steamy tea shop reached Ceres’ sensitive hearing. “Back to work.” She groaned, turning away from the two older Sohma’s in embarrassment. ‘For heaven's sake... how can anyone take these two idiots seriously?’ At least the tension surrounding her had been transformed into a light hearted atmosphere occasionally interrupted by Aya’s incessant words. ‘See? Fighting doesn’t solve anything.’ The blond-haired girl sliced into the Celestial Maiden’s thoughts ‘However….I see they don’t know what the word discretion means.’ Aya chuckled mentally, unable believe Ceres could be easily flustered by such petty talk. In reality, the older woman lacked the knowledge of hanging out with a bunch of perverted sounding men. ‘There is a first time for everything.’ Shaking of feelings of discomfort, the young woman knelt besides Haru “Don’t mention it….I’m just glad your pain has been eased somewhat.” She stated, reaching out with powerful senses to probe the Ox’s worst wounds. The art of healing wounds involved using one’s own essence to heal another’s body, though the matter changed when the particular healer lacked enough strength to accomplish their designated task. “Don’t strain yourself Haru…otherwise the magic will wear off and the pain will be magnified. “ Ceres warned, giving her insight before turning her attention back to Ayame.

The silver-haired male had been captured completely off guard by Ceres’ cold words for foreign emotions should have broken free inside the seemingly carefree male. However, if Ayame Sohma was deeply affect by her colorful vocabulary, he gave no clear indication except for the odd tone in his voice. ‘Does he realize how serious Yuki’s situation is right now? Has he even made an effort to care just a tiny bit for the defenseless rat?’ She couldn’t help gaining suspicions over his dramatic behavior, then again Ayame was unique. Perhaps, he showed his feelings in different ways. Perhaps, being flamboyant was his way of caring for his own flesh and blood. Whatever the reason, he really appeared to be making a phenomenal effort in bridging the widening gap between Yuki and himself. ‘I’ve gone overboard again.’ The Tennin deliberated over her dilemma on whether to apologize or just leave their awkward conversation unfinished. In truth Ceres agonized over the very fact she had been judgmental of an innocent human being. Ayame was only human. Sure, he part of the cursed Sohma Family…but that did not mean he was perfect. “No one is perfect.” The raven-haired female stated “Everyone has made mistakes in their life time…I am no exception…but the most important thing is you do care for your younger brother. Eventually, he will realize blood is thicker then water.” Ceres replied, cutting herself in mid-sentence for saying anything else might place her in the spot light. Oddly enough, her cryptic messages were simple forms of apology wrapped in eloquent words. Saying ’I’m sorry’ to Ayame Sohma was harder then Ceres had anticipated earlier, although he did deserve a bit of a wake up call. Yuki needed him badly or else who knew if the poor youth would survive being locked inside that room. At the mention of the infamous area located in Akito’s main estate, the Celestial Maiden recoiled noticeably from her vivid memories. ’I don’t want to go back there….I want to avoid contact with everyone inside that horrid house.’ Of course Aya would force her into visiting scenery full of negative energy. Shaking herself clear of troubled emotions, Ceres ran one slender hand across feathery bangs falling over one eye. Parting scarlet-colored lips, she spoke quietly “I did my best trying to mend the worst of Yuki’s wounds…..with Hatori taking care of him…the boy should recover physically enough to allow for brief visits eventually.” She mumbled, while avoiding the subject of how mentally distraught he had been upon seeing her in person. Placing a firm seal on restless emotions, the obsidian-haired Tennyo proceeded forward with the next task at hand. One look at Kyo’s expression would be enough to discourage another person from aiding him, but Ceres didn’t mind. ’My heart is racing abnormally. What is this sudden sensation blooming inside?’ Her chest tightened suddenly as sorrow found a foothold in the very depths of the angel’s soul. There was something familiar about Kyo Sohma, yet nothing made sense. How could he be special? Why did he cause sadness to rise? ‘Maybe because he is a source of pity?’ Yes, that was it. She felt sorry for him and nothing else. Kyo was not special or was he? “Stubborn as usual.” Ceres scowled lightly, pressing both hands lightly on one side of his broad shoulders. She would’ve done her usual method, except energy was a commodity better used wisely. “Like with Hatsuharu, your wounds will only be mended. Pain is to be expect…but I’m sure you already knew that.” The maiden explained, at the same time allowing controlled amounts of celestial power to course through Kyo’s battered body. How well he healed would depend solely on him. Being cruel to his own body would only make the natural healing process function slower. “At least you’ll feel a little better.” Ceres stopped humming momentarily, pausing her meticulous work as golden orbs glanced down at him. ‘He is familiar….I just can’t put my finger on it.’ Dropping both hands from his shoulders, the fatigued Tennin staggered into a standing position “I’m done….now for Momiji.” Ceres muttered more to herself, then anyone else. “I know you requested not to be healed….” She murmured, turning back around to face the zodiac rabbit with gentle eyes “At least let me check your wounds…I can’t help feeling worried over your welfare.”

OCC: Decided not to get to far ahead, since Ceres still needs to deal with Momiji's reaction. Next post, I'll add the part where Aya head's off to the main house.

Despite his innocent expression his gaze was sincere as he locked eyes with the fallen angel. Not once did his expression flatter as she spoke, "My family has things hard enough, if you can heal them that is more than i could ask for." He told her, his tone not holding one edge of doubt. Momiji knew that what had happened... it was all because of their curse. It's because of their situation that Haru had gotten angry, and no matter what Momiji did he couldn't change that. Their curse wasn't going to go away, the pain wasn't to go away. If she wanted to help, and made them feel a little better it would be more than enough for Momiji. "You don't need to sorry about my wounds, they're small in comparison and I knew what I was getting into when i jumped in front. Haru didn't know where his anger would lead and Kyo didn't know how serious Haru was. They didn't know and suffered more, they need it more than me. Besides, I don't want you to tire yourself out for my sake." Momiji added with a smile and a small laugh. At her statement he didn't seem to agree to let her heal his so easily but he didn't argue as he watched her move, her irritation from earlier returning slightly. However, this time it was focused on the zodiac snake who laughed, either not understanding or ignoring the last part of her statement and taking her words as a compliment. "Ah yes well, if you want to see I will show you! You see not only am i gorgeous and inspire the jealousy of everyone but I am a master seamstress!" He told her, posing as he flipped his hair over his shoulder elegantly. "Yes! Because of my generous heart I commit my time to growing and blossoming the fantasies of all men and women who seek my assistance! For there is no fantasy to great of complicated for my skills that has been created in the mind of man!" He told her, as if practicing a practiced speech. Momiji giggled from his seat. "He says that... but really he just sews costumes." Momiji whispered as if to translate the nonsense that was still spewing out of Ayame's mouth. Kyo grunted from the corner, clearly having a comment but refusing to say it while trying to push down and ignore the residual feelings that were echoing through his mind. It's like you're never been around another spirit before... He thought to the cat, never having felt like a separate being from the animal spirit before. Why was it he had chosen to take on emotions of his own now? Was this a normal thing? As far as he knew he'd never heard of the cat communicating or having their own emotions separate from their specified person, or any zodiac spirit for that matter. He looked up as Ayame responded to Ceres harsh tone, the snake no even phased as he winked at her.

"You may be an angel but you don't have to be shy around me, for you are every image of an angel i ever pictured!" He told her, "We all have our fault, it doesn't make us any less stunning." He told her in response to the phrase she's said so self consciously. Though it may not sound like it at first his words were meant to be slightly comforting, or as comforting as Ayame got. 'Life happens, things aren't fair but if you keep your head up you can still be great.' Was what his words translated to in the language of everyone else. As she turned away from his and Shigure's conversation Ayame smiled brightly as he got up, sliding in beside her, but not so close as to transform. "Now,Now what's with the blush?" He asked her with a smile as he took her hand into both of his dramatically. "You're not embarrassed are you? After all a divine creature like you must be used to the attention." He told her, despite her insistence on not using titles, he seemed to not care as the moment as he smiled at her. "Why don't we take a visit to the tea shop, they have the best tea around." He told her, his tone implying there was far more to it than the tea. "Now, Now Ayame remember she shares a body of a teenager, you might want to start with something easier for her." Shigure told Ayame, leaning casually against the table, his chin resting on his hand, having struck his own pose. "Ah yes... the teenage mind and body are full of curiosity..." Ayame agreed, thinking for a second before turning to Ceres. "Very well, we'll start to taking you to the host club I sew outfits for!" Ayame told her with a smile. "You mean the one you worked for for a while?" Shigure asked Ayame,. Ayame smiled as he turned to look at Shigure, "Well of course, I brought them more customers than they ever had, but unfortunately the other hosts grew jealous of my good looks because I stole all their customers. Not that I can blame them." Ayame shrugged. Shigure nodded, "Yes, it made me feel quite lonely, you worked so many late nights when you were there." Shigure sighed, letting the implement of what he was doing hang in the air. Ayame fixed his eyes on Shigure,"Now, You can't take it personally, you know that we have a bond that no one can compete with!" Ayame told him, moving away from Ceres and over to Shigure, Kyo groaning in disgust. "Take your sick love affair somewhere else." He told them angrily, "What are you jealous, Kyonkichi?" Ayame asked, turning to look at Kyo over his shoulder. "LIKE HELL I AM!!!" Kyo shouted at him, the effort shooting pain up his chest as he sighed, resting his head on his knees so he didn't have to look at the two of them as they continued on about one thing or another. I don't know why I still listen to them anymore... I'd be better off just ignoring them completely. He thought to himself, but found that incredibly hard considering how loud the two of them were talking.

Haru took a slow breath as he nodded, "I'll keep that in mind." He told her, realizing he was still going to be missing a day or two of school. IOh well... it's probably better considering the damage i caused.. He thought to himself, Again He added as an after thought as he closed his eyes, resting his head against the wall as Momiji plopped down beside him, the both of them turning to look at Ayame as he spoke, in truth Ayame did have a caring side it was just... in his own way. They all knew what had happened between Yuki, in the most critical time of his life when Yuki needed him most Ayame had abandoned Yuki and he was now trying to win back his affection as a brother, he wanted to make up for not being there. Despite his efforts his methods could be worked upon... Haru thought to himself, as he watched Ayame, the male smiling at her response. "Yes! Until that day when Yuki admits his brotherly love to me I will continue to show him my love!" He declared, seeming to completely miss the seriousness in her voice. "In truth as soon as he had heard what had happened to Yuki he had gone strait to the main house and practically begged Hatori to let him see him, but Hatori had been insistent. He knew having Ayame there would comfort him, timing was key. At this time letting Ayame him could just push him father away by jogging unpleasant memories. Yuki looked at everything and saw nothing, seeing Ayame could have the opposite effect if they let him in too soon. However, if they waited to long until Yuki was himself again, if that ever happened it was possible he would try to kill his brother, which he was in no state to do at the moment. Either way Ayame had every intention of seeing Yuki when he could. "Hatori will take care of Yuki!" Momiji agreed from beside Haru with a smile, "Yuki's not Yuki right now..." Momiji said from his place beside Ceres as is somehow sensing her worry about his behavior. "Besides! Hatori's the best doctor there is and has been taking care of all of us since we was little! Yuki's in good hands," The rabbit told her, making it clear he trusted the doctor. "One time I fell down the stairs after forgetting to tie a shoe lace," Momiji started another story that seemed to have nothing to do with the topic and only show his childless, but he didn't care. "He saved me just in time before a female nurse tried to pick me up... I hurt myself pretty bad too so he cleaned up my wounds..." He said, his eyes lost in memories before he laughed. "If anyone can make Yuki all better, it's Hatori!" Momiji concluded, though the statement seemed to have no relevance to his story, stretching his arms above his head slowly as if taking care to cause as little pain as possible.

Kyo took a slow breath the pain in his chest making him forget about all the other for a moment, at least before he tried to move and pain shot up his arms and legs. He glanced at her as he gingerly pulled his loose tank top over his head so she could see the wounds fully on his chest and back. His wounds were, perhaps a bit worse that Haru's but were well matched as he nodded, "Don't worry about it..." he told her awkwardly as he looked away, "It's nothing I can't handle." He told her, he had long given up thinking he could escape pain so why would he start now? As she placed his hands on him he closed his eyes, the power coursing him strangely familiar. Unlike the sudden electric-like shock of energy that had left Haru out of breath after his healing Kyo felt a warm sensation fill through his body as the worst of the wounds pulled themselves together, clotting and dulling the pain slightly as he did a light flooded the darkness behind his eyes, sudden images popping into his head. Whether they were real or figments of his imagination he wasn't sure, but he could almost picture a house, three children running around. Ahead of them a woman with long dark hair was walking, one of the children turned around, a young girl who smiled and winked at him, raising a finger to her lips before turning around and catching up with the group. Kyo's whole body jumped as he opened his his eyes, he jerked away from Ceres instinctively, the pain reminding him he couldn't do that. His eyes wide as he tried to catch his breath. Luckily she had finished, but his whole body was shaking. "What the hell was that?" He muttered to himself. I don't know whats going on but this has to stop... I don't have time to deal with this... He thought to himself as she stopped humming, the cat letting her walk away before anything else strange happened. Momiji, looked up as Ceres as she walked over to him, still sitting beside Haru, his knees curled to his chest and his arms wrapped around his knees. It wasn't in a painful away, instead his position was relaxed, tilting his head as he looked up at her. "I told you I don't need it..." He told her, the same steady but innocent expression on his face. After a second he sighed, "Okay, but you can't freak out, ok?" He asked as he stood up, messing with the buttons on his shirt. At the same same he skipped over to the other side of the room, letting his shirt hang open as he turned to look at her. "Promise?" He asked her before he slid his shirt off of his small frame to reveal the wounds that no one had actually seen yet. They had all known about them, but he had refused to let anyone see them. At first glance his skin looked pale and smooth as it should be, but as he turned his right side, the side he had been thrown on the ground on, told a different tale. all the way from his armpit down to his hip was a chain of bruises that extended to the right side of his back. On top of the bruises were scrapes and skid marks where the grass, dirt and rocks had impacted him the hardest. The worse of the scrapes had thin, dried lines of blood where it had bled and clotted over.

.Tell me..What do they see. When they look at me?.Do they see my many personalities.ღ

'That innocent expression would be enough to fool unsuspecting strangers, however I’m immune to those childish tricks.’ The fallen angel brooded over distant memories long ago locked away by traumatic events ’I remember vividly how my oldest daughter loved exploring the dark woods behind our cottage, she would always give the same expression…whenever suspicions of being caught came afloat. However, Momiji’s looks are different…..he is sacrificing his own well-being for two cousins. Despite being a Sohma and suffering multiple hits….Momiji remains kind….just like another kindred soul trapped within his own thoughts.’ Tucking strands of lustrous raven-colored hair behind one ear, the Celestial Maiden found herself locked in a battle of wits against Momiji Sohma. Golden eyes focused intently on the blonde youth’s sincere expression, that even now did not falter with any self-doubt or self-avarice. He was a boy filled with purity. Filled with deep concern for those fellow people called ‘family’. He was strong even in front of a divine creature capable of changing lives in an instant, with a single powerful wave of her hand…if she wanted to. Not that Ceres would unleash divine retribution upon those who didn’t deserve it, if at all…the one who needed to be eliminated was Akito Sohma. “I long ago figured your family suffered….it’s not necessary to live one day here…to know. One single gaze at your eyes…tell me more stories…then words themselves could ever describe.” The Tennyo replied seriously, her eyes diverting over to both battered males “Heh….Aki was an idiot.” She scoffed softly, barely concealing drops of disdain from entering her voice “Haru did not blow up because he wanted too…he was pushed to the brink of breaking down and Kyo did his best to hold his cousin back from doing something…he would later come to regret.” Tearing shimmering hues away from both Sohma males, the young woman glanced down warily at both hands. Hands that were useful for healing, destroying and drawing out large quantities of precious scarlet. ‘Blood…running red against pale alabaster skin, golden eyes darkened in both rage and sorrow…expressed extreme regret for what had happened to her eldest child. At her feet lay…the murderer of her oldest daughter Miku…rendered from blood-thirsty killer to a man torn into several pieces…all while pouring rain soaked…the divine angel to the bone.’ Shaking her head savagely, the raven-haired Tennin waves an index finger from side to side in disagreement “Me get tired out?” Ceres chuckled almost forcibly “Don’t worry about me…I have sufficient energy to speak…therefore I can heal with no ill-side effects.” She was being dishonest with herself and with the rest of the Sohma Family. Her reserves of strength were being depleted faster, then what could be regained in a single night’s rest. No hag Oromo…meant no ability to recover without excess quantities of food or sleep. Ceres did not want either nor did the fallen angel want expressed sympathy. Receding exasperation over her state of weakness, projected itself onto the flamboyant snake. “Really?” Ceres questioned with one eyebrow raised in skeptic disbelief “He can actually sew articles of clothing?” She inquired, frowning in dismay for Ayame looked ridiculous making all those dramatic poses in front of her. ’I wonder?’ Positioning her head back into it’s original form, the maiden glanced briefly over one shoulder at Kyo. He appeared as if he wanted to comment on the zodiac snake’s speech, though at the last minute seemed to repent.

The zodiac snake’s ostentatious display left little to be desired, in the eyes of anyone logical, Ayame Sohma would be classified as having psychological problems. His loud-nature contrasted sharply against Shigure’s sense of humor, which by nature fell into the indiscreet category….but at least he wasn’t showy or dramatic in his poses. Although, the silver-haired male had enough confidence to make even the shyest person proud, he brought light-hearted fun to the otherwise tense atmosphere inside the Sohma Household. ’I don’t know whether I should be glad for his special brand of perverted humor or if I should make myself indifferent.’ The Celestial Maiden mused quietly, letting her eyes be judgments of Shigure and Ayame’s awkward behavior. She only wished the zodiac serpent would tone down his lavish compliments for none of the colorful words made Ceres feel any better. “What?” Breaking out of her silence, the female focused attention upon him “My words really did fall on deaf ears. I already told you shyness is not a trait Tennyo’s possess.” Of course, every remark spewing out of her mouth was a complete and utter lie. Ceres did experience a wide range of emotions ranging from sadness, anger to shyness acquired through long-term exposure on earth. She wasn’t machine. She wasn’t an alien at all. ’Then what am I?’ Her mind asked the relatively simple question, when in reality the angel didn’t care. However, the silver-haired male broke her concentration as his words of encouragement reached sensitive ears. ’Speechless…..now aren’t we?’ Aya’s amused voice echoed loudly, in the Tennin’s conscious mind ’I hate to offend…but this is the first time…he has sounded intelligent in all the time…that mouth of his has been moving.’ She commented, while one very flustered angel struggled in keeping a straight face. “Thanks.” The obsidian-haired woman tried getting back to work, except Lady Luck conspired against Ceres. Pale cheeks burned an even deeper shade of maroon, as Ayame’s sudden actions caught her completely off-guard. “W-what are you doing!?” She questioned in astonishment, finding herself automatically drawn into the spotlight. ’Let me go!’ Her mind formed threatening words, yet nothing coherent came out of her mouth. Instead, the raven-haired female stayed frozen in place, hand held in Ayame’s dramatic grasp. “I’m not blushing.” Ceres muttered, unable to even pull her hand away from the zodiac snake. What was wrong with her? Why was she blushing like a bride on the alter? “For heaven’s sake…” Frowning a bit, the angel shook her head in denial “I don’t go around exposing myself as an angel to people…hence no on the attention.” If she had gone through all of Japan making miracles happen, everyone would have treated her as a deity…although once upon a time Ceres did have the title of treacherous snake. Burying painful emotions aside, her interest shifted to the mention of the tea house. “Actually…..visiting your so called tea shop would not be a bad idea.” She chirped, apparently missing out the implications interwoven into Ayame’s voice “Wait a minute….Aya maybe a teenager…but she isn’t wild. As if my descendent would take the time to focus on anything else that doesn’t involve Yuki Sohma.” Ceres explained, not even realizing just how much she had implied on Aya’s feelings towards the zodiac rat.

'C-Ceres…what are you jabbering about?!’ The young woman spluttered in her vocabulary ’Stop disclosing my feeling for Yuki to the entire world!’ She exclaimed, pretending to tune out the Tennin conversation with Ayame Sohma. Why did she suffer from introversion over a subject so widely discussed? Her parents had once fallen in love. Even her evil grandfather had been smitten by a woman and now Aya herself fell victim to Cupid’s poorly aimed arrow. ’ Never mind.’ Drawing knees against her chest, the blonde-haired female reminded herself that sooner or later Ceres would have to return back to the gloom. How ironic indeed. Two different souls with different personality and ages residing inside one mortal body. Exhaling pent up breath, the obsidian-haired female looked almost relieved, when Ayame moved away from her personal space. Tense shoulders sagging in sudden relaxation, the Celestial Maiden could only watch in silent amusement as Shigure and Ayame had conversations laden in mystery. Certainly, the young woman did not feel like hearing anymore of said dialogue going on in between both elder males. “Oh boy….” Shaking head slowly from side to side, the fallen angel stood wearily on legs that groaned in protest. ’Scratch that….I’m not feeling well.’ Her world swayed in several directions with a similar feel to the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Gritting teeth harshly against each other, the female faltered internally to keep dignity in tact. Some would say foolish, others would judge her as self-fish…but no one understood how prideful Tennyo’s were. Clenching hands together until knuckles turned white in effort, Ceres winced over the loud volume of Ayame’s voice echoing through out the enclosed space. “Love is best….never mind.” She muttered, stopping herself from commenting on his narrow-sighted comment. Why explain to a male who appeared to dismiss every important detail? Why waste energy on Ayame Sohma. ’Fine…I’ll keep my thoughts to myself .’ Waving aside assumptions, the obsidian-haired Tenshi “Yuki maybe stubborn as a mule…but he isn’t all bad. Sooner or later…sibling blood will call out for comfort.” Ceres whispered almost lowly, golden-brown eyes taking on a far away look. ’Family blood will always call out….no matter the distance or the circumstances.’ Sometimes family reunions could do worlds of good, other times ones own family could destroy an individual from the inside out. Swallowing hard, the maiden found the mere mention of Hatori’s name in her presence hard to stomach. How could a doctor highly educated in healing bring out primal instincts? Why did Ceres become anxious over the mention of his name? Hatori Sohma….the man in charge of Yuki Sohma’s slow recovery. The dark-haired doctor who expressed little emotion, yet at the same time expressed more with his stoic demeanor. The male who had the strange power of erasing minds. ’Aya….’ She wanted to scream out at her host to keep away from the main house. She wanted to turn tail and run through the thin paper door separating freedom from enclosure. Meeting Hatori face to face would result in a disastrous situation, in which Ceres might not even be able to interfere. After all, could powers of mental suppression override a Tennyo’s divine energy? The answer would remain unknown…however if that were to happen Aya Mikage would be left with no memory of Yuki or his family. Neither would Ceres herself as she shared the very same body with the teenaged girl. “I’m glad….Hatori was able to find you first.” The woman answered Momiji absently, her mind seemingly stuck in it’s own fantasy world. Yet, the real worries were yet to come.

'This Hatori brings out unfathomable emotions out. I can’t understand how a simple human can inspire…..such fretfulness inside of me.’ In spite of the precarious situation at hand, the young woman remained impregnable with the faux mask of unconcern resting nonchalantly on her face. ’I hate being dishonest to the Sohma’s…but their doctor doesn’t bubble out much trust.’ Would voicing out an honest opinion ruin their view of her? Ceres found herself wavering uncertainly between borderline panic and sorrow, what would happen if the false composure crumbled to the floor like Lego blocks? Inhaling several breaths of fresh air, the angel turned all her attention on healing Kyo’s worst wounds. After three minutes of assisting his nastiest abrasions, she began suffering from memories regressing from Mikage’s betrayal to the small group of three happy children playing in the flower garden. Instinctively, Ceres with-drew her hand in astonishment as the zodiac cat jumped in bewilderment. “You’re a little twitchy today….Kyo.” She pointed, obviously in-tune with his emotional state, even though Ceres did not want to admit….her reaction to him had been strange. ‘Whatever emotion my body is experiencing isn’t important…’ The Tennin pondered, moving swiftly away from the ginger-haired youth in a futile attempt of getting out gauche images from mind. ’These images from my past…I want nothing to do with them. I struggled through the centuries to hide them away in vain. Maybe karma has finally caught up to me.’ The black-haired woman thought bitterly, her body involuntarily shuddering at the concept of sins coming back to haunt Ceres in her ethereal rest. “ I know…but I’m not letting you off the hook so easily.” She stated bluntly, making sweeping gestures back and forth with one hand “At least let me take a good look at those wounds of yours….if they are curable on their own…then I won’t interfere in the natural process of healing. However, there are exceptions…some lesions need a little encouragement to properly close.” The Celestial maiden clarified, choosing every word spoken carefully “I won’t rest easy…until the task has been accomplished.” Ceres whispered, watching the blonde-haired boy rise up from his seat next to Haru and skipping towards the end of the room. Following closely behind him, the young woman paused in mid-stride “I won’t freak out…I promise.” Adding a silent nod at the end of her statement, the Tennyo resumed walking until the extent of Momiji’s wounds came to light. ’His skin looks alright on one side…but bruises and blood mark the right side of him. Poor boy….dragged….thrown…hit by debris. How could he withstand such terrible wounds…not to mention anguish.’ Swallowing hard, the female struggled inwardly with distressed emotions pushing against her barrier. Lips sealed tightly, Ceres now stood in front of the zodiac rabbit, bringing herself near eye level…all she could do was stare at his mangled side. “I-I’m sorry.” A meaningless apology came out of her, filled with noticeable undertones of sadness. Resting both hands gently on Momiji’s damaged side, the celestial angel summoned every last ounce of strength to come pouring out, in an effort to heal him even if it meant falling comatose. What little power she had coursing through her veins, went into repairing most of the gashes smeared in dried crimson. Momiji’s bruises would have to heal naturally, for Ceres eventually switched back to Aya as soon as her task was accomplished without saying good-bye.

‘What happened? Why am I feeling enervated?’ The blond-haired adolescent blinked, several times in puzzlement Well…she did an excellent job healing four people in the span of one day….but at what price? It doesn’t matter now…does it? At least…Ceres eased some of the injuries caused by Aki’s idiotic nature.’ Gleaming cerulean orbs shifted back on Momiji, now becoming aware of how serious his wounds were. “Those wounds….on your body..” Aya whispered, forcing herself to stand on wobbly legs “I’m glad…Ceres was able to lend her assistance. She was quite eager to help….although now it’s time for me to depart.” She said, dismissing herself from Momiji and every one else in the living room. ’Good-byes are painful.’ The Celestial Maiden spoke telepathically ’I don’t think Aya realizes….today maybe the last time….she remembers these people by name. In due time….all memories, feelings and words will faded into darkness….only those who hold the curse close will remember what bittersweet happiness is.’ Sighing lowly, the Tennin made no effort in holding her host back from exiting Shigure’s house. ‘Why…should I waste precious time…warning a stubborn girl?’ Ceres scoffed, glancing at the scenery through Mikage Aya’s personal perception. ‘I know…Hatori mentioned for me to come the day after tomorrow…although an anxiety is pushing me forward.’ Trotting out of the Sohma household, the flaxen-haired teenager increased her pace across lush lawns frequently watered by automatically sprinklers and into concrete sidewalks worn down by time. Hands curled into clenched fists, Aya spoke lowly “I don’t understand…this feeling of dread building inside of me. Hatori would never hurt me without reason….and I’m certain Akito doesn’t know…I’ve been secretly sneaking in to see Yuki.” At the mere mention of Akito’s name, the female trembled in remembrance. How long ago had the godly leader beaten poor Yuki into a bloody pulp? Time was always in motion, flexing and bending to no one’s will. One minute everything had been normal in her world, but suddenly life had taken an unexpected turn for the worst. ’I suppose life is no bed of roses…only the strongest survive.’ Throwing aside other-worldly concerns, Mikage Aya turned sharply to the right, before veering into familiar territory. On a happier day, the blonde-haired female would have explored Akito’s main estate without obstruction…yet several emotions covered up any joy at seeing the zodiac rat in his frozen state. Would going to Yuki’s room prove a waste of time? What if Hatori was in there? Thousands of questions rose, except few got answered in the short amount of time, it took Aya to find the door leading into the medical ward containing the silver-haired male. ’Matte!’ Ceres screamed loudly ’Don’t go in there….Yuki is in the same condition as last night. Talking to him will be of no use…nor will your appearance make him any better.’ The Celestial Maiden warned ’Leave this place…while time still stands on your side.’ Her cryptic messages only served in angering Aya even more. ’What? I’m not leaving so easily…why the rush?’ She asked in a demanding tone, although Ceres refused to answer her rhetorical questions. “Fine…I’ll see Hatori first…then I’ll see Yuki.” Giving in to what appeared as the angel’s deepest desires, the adolescent padded silently down the hallway to a room at the far end of the aisle. “Geez…I’m getting chills now.” Was it from the air conditioner or her own unstable emotions acting up? Shaking aside clogging fears, Aya knocked softly against the door to no avail. The family doctor appeared to be either out on an errand or in the room cleaning up Yuki’s wounds. Whatever, the reason keeping Hatori away from his office was of no concern to Aya, she decided head in anyway. Stepping carefully into the dimmed interior, the female glanced lightly at each individual office pieces laying untouched inside, of course what caught her attention instantly was the picture of a pretty short-haired woman smiling from behind Plexiglas. “Who is she? Is this Hatori’s current girlfriend?” Aya questioned, moving closer to the shelf in hopes of seeing the kind-hearted woman….the doctor had loved once upon a time.